Why was Brady so off?

[Fencer]

I agree he didn't look great, but I didn't see him miss open guys either. The replays I saw showed exellent coverage by the jets. I don't know as a quarterback how much you can do with that!

He missed Branch on 4th down late in the game. That was horrific, blitz notwithstanding.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Not sure what that was, but he just looked generally out of it. Even in the tunnel before coming onto the field. I'm not big on body language and all that, but he just looked kinda 'out of it' before the game. I loved his demeanor during the PIT game earlier this year. Where was that yesterday?

may have been the flu but we've seen TB play with a 103 degree temp. before and win the AFCCG.

 

[Fencer]

It's not just Brady who was fooled. As often as he threw it behind receivers who weren't looking and so on, I'm guessing he wasn't always the one who was wrong on those plays, nor that he was always deliberately throwing it away.

The one thing he's not good at is taking off and running when everybody is covered. He could have gotten positive yards on such runs all day, but probably so few as to not be worth taking the hits.

 

[BradyToAmendola]

Prior to the game, Brady was sitting on the bench on the sidelines.. He had a cup of something in his hands that he was sniffing out of.. Not sure what it was, but he sniffed at it 3 or 4 times, taking deep inhalations.. Not sure if it was smelling salts, Vicks Vapor Rub or what.

it's probably just ammonia. Not a big deal, a lot of players use it before games.

 

[Snarf]

Don't get me wrong, TFB is one of the greatest QBs of all time. I'd much rather have him than anyone else. But...

I've been saying this for a while: Brady has for the last 6 years or so appeared very emotionally delicate.

That Milloy deal, he falls apart the next game. Branch traded, he falls apart. Some players sent home for coming in late, Brady falls apart. There are other examples. If BB or the head office slights him or someone close to him in even the smallest of ways, Brady falls apart that week. Without fail, if there's some silly off-field distraction, Brady seems to collapse. What was it, flu one year? And in 2007 there was something right before the game, wasn't there that blew up the morning of the game? Brady mentally collapsed there too. It could all be a coincidence, but it happens far too regularly as far as I see.

While we're on the topic of Brady emotionalism, I'd like to point out two other disturbing Brady tendencies:

1. this habit of "rewarding" players with touchdown attempts who make good plays on the current drive. Crumpler makes a big contribution -- I KNEW Brady would try throwing to him in the end zone. This happens every week. Gronk makes huge plays, so Brady throws him in the endzone. Someone bashed Welker in the media? Brady throws 3 TD attempts to him. Someone calls Moss a slouch? Brady forces him the ball 30 times.

Honorable and nice, yes, but it is way too predictable. If I were an opposing team, all I need to do is prepare to jump the route of whoever just made a big play as the endzone approaches.

2. this habit of Brady throwing to players who just screwed up. Gronk drops an important ball, you KNOW Brady is going to force some throws to Gronk in the endzone soon. Someone fumbles? Expect them to get the ball soon in a critical situation. Like #1 above, this is "nice" from a build-their-confidence-up standpoint, but it does make the near future very predictable.

Anyway, just some things I have noticed over the years. In all 3 cases above, Brady appears to play detrimentally emotionally. If there's one thing that I'd like Brady to work on somehow in the offseason, it's mental toughness.

 

[Patters]

I don't think it's Brady. I think the Jets had an effective game plan, and the Pats were not as sharp in general as they should have been, maybe a result of the bye week and a little overconfidence after their last game with the Jets. The other problem for the Pats is that other teams have already copied all of BB's best ideas, so BB doesn't bring as much to the game as he once did: What he brings now is simply his preparation, and that may not be enough in a playoff game where everyone is prepared.

 

[Shed83]

Don't get me wrong, TFB is one of the greatest QBs of all time. I'd much rather have him than anyone else. But...

I've been saying this for a while: Brady has for the last 6 years or so appeared very emotionally delicate.

That Milloy deal, he falls apart the next game. Branch traded, he falls apart. Some players sent home for coming in late, Brady falls apart. There are other examples. If BB or the head office slights him or someone close to him in even the smallest of ways, Brady falls apart that week. Without fail, if there's some silly off-field distraction, Brady seems to collapse. What was it, flu one year? And in 2007 there was something right before the game, wasn't there that blew up the morning of the game? Brady mentally collapsed there too. It could all be a coincidence, but it happens far too regularly as far as I see.

While we're on the topic of Brady emotionalism, I'd like to point out two other disturbing Brady tendencies:

1. this habit of "rewarding" players with touchdown attempts who make good plays on the current drive. Crumpler makes a big contribution -- I KNEW Brady would try throwing to him in the end zone. This happens every week. Gronk makes huge plays, so Brady throws him in the endzone. Someone bashed Welker in the media? Brady throws 3 TD attempts to him. Someone calls Moss a slouch? Brady forces him the ball 30 times.

Honorable and nice, yes, but it is way too predictable. If I were an opposing team, all I need to do is prepare to jump the route of whoever just made a big play as the endzone approaches.

2. this habit of Brady throwing to players who just screwed up. Gronk drops an important ball, you KNOW Brady is going to force some throws to Gronk in the endzone soon. Someone fumbles? Expect them to get the ball soon in a critical situation. Like #1 above, this is "nice" from a build-their-confidence-up standpoint, but it does make the near future very predictable.

Anyway, just some things I have noticed over the years. In all 3 cases above, Brady appears to play detrimentally emotionally. If there's one thing that I'd like Brady to work on somehow in the offseason, it's mental toughness.

Dude that makes absolutely no sense. Both points pretty much contradict the other!!

 

[shakadave]

The thing with Brady now is you can see early when his game is bad and doesnt get better. Was the same in the first Jets game and at Cleveland

You've put your finger on something here. It was also this way throughout 2009 (especially those second halves). In 2010 we didn't see it much --- only in the losses --- so I hoped we had moved past it, but in the first half yesterday I got that sinking feeling that Brady wasn't about to catch fire any time soon.

 

[itgl72]

Just venting, I've already stated it before with others. Gosh, I saw something off on Brady the minute he was shown in the tunnel. The guy with fire, the long hair flowing, the cursing, whatever it was, he was not that guy yesterday. I dont understand it, but Im not in his shoes. I would think for something like this you run out, fist in hand, jumping up and down, and get the juices flowing. He didnt have that, but Ive seen it before. We needed that yesterday. Sure, the crumpler dropped TD hurt emotionally, as did that long 80 yard TD drive after the Pats pulled within 3, but gosh, a fired up Brady would have helped the guys around him IMHO.

I almost dont care if there was "Something Else" behind the scenes we dont know. The Pats lost, the Jitz won, no excuses, a win is a win, as a loss is a loss. It stings, it sucks, if it were to any other team it would not be as knifing as losing to the Jitz.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

Was Brady off? Sure was.

But kudo's to the Jests coaching staff. They did what BB usually does to opponents; they took away the Pats best weapon - Brady - and dared the Pats to beat them by using other parts of the offense. Unfortunately for the Pats, they didn't have the "other" horses to do so and the Pats offense failed to perform ...... miserably.

Moving forward, if the Pats wish to beat the Jests then they had best add new players who can perform well enough to beat the Jests when Brady is removed and they are called upon to perform. Or someone needs to figure out new plays to adjust for such a gameplan. Or, some combo of both.

 

[blackcat54]

Just venting, I've already stated it before with others. Gosh, I saw something off on Brady the minute he was shown in the tunnel. The guy with fire, the long hair flowing, the cursing, whatever it was, he was not that guy yesterday. I dont understand it, but Im not in his shoes. I would think for something like this you run out, fist in hand, jumping up and down, and get the juices flowing. He didnt have that, but Ive seen it before. We needed that yesterday. Sure, the crumpler dropped TD hurt emotionally, as did that long 80 yard TD drive after the Pats pulled within 3, but gosh, a fired up Brady would have helped the guys around him IMHO.

I almost dont care if there was "Something Else" behind the scenes we dont know. The Pats lost, the Jitz won, no excuses, a win is a win, as a loss is a loss. It stings, it sucks, if it were to any other team it would not be as knifing as losing to the Jitz.

I noticed the same thing when the teams were warming up. I was looking at Sancheese's eyes to see if he looked as scared as he did the last game, and I was discouraged that he didn't. Then they switched to Brady and I noticed that the fire that had been in his eyes all season long was gone. I thought maybe I was imagining things, but now i don't think so. Not sure what was up, but he was not his normal self.

 

[Mountain_Commando]

may have been the flu but we've seen TB play with a 103 degree temp. before and win the AFCCG.

I can't believe NO ONE ELSE considered this.

Brady was sick, no doubt about it. D&C even asked him about it "You looked like you had red, watery eyes, dressed to the max, and you were seen sniffing an ammonia capsule. If you had the flu, would you say?"

His response? "I didn’t have the flu. I felt fine. I’ve been dressing warmer as the season’s gone on. I felt fine."

Yeah right. When was the last time you saw Brady wearing full body under armor? In a relatively mild 30 degrees day no less. No way Brady will ever admit it though, not after a loss. Just because he was able to play lights out with a fever once doesn't mean he can do it all the time.

 

[andrewgarrr]

I think he was confused by who was coming on the blitzes and the coverage was good.

There were many times when Brady pointed to a defensive player, alerting the line that he is coming, and he dropped into coverage.

 

[OldNEPatsFan]

Brady couldn't figure out the Jets defense to save his life. In that 4th quarter drive Bill was on the sidelines screaming him to throw the damn ball and stop making audibles to the run. This is the 2nd year in a row Brady has folded in the playoffs.

 

[ausbacker]

Was Brady off? Sure was.

But kudo's to the Jests coaching staff. They did what BB usually does to opponents; they took away the Pats best weapon - Brady - and dared the Pats to beat them by using other parts of the offense. Unfortunately for the Pats, they didn't have the "other" horses to do so and the Pats offense failed to perform ...... miserably.

Moving forward, if the Pats wish to beat the Jests then they had best add new players who can perform well enough to beat the Jests when Brady is removed and they are called upon to perform. Or someone needs to figure out new plays to adjust for such a gameplan. Or, some combo of both.

Actually, we should have just given the ball to Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis given he was popping at 4.8 yards per carry, running with authority and picking up first downs. The Patriots refused to get away from being in love with the shotgun and the passing game yesterday. It was 2009 all over again and ridiculous play calling by the Patriots.

It would have been reasonable to suggest that we could have run on the Jets from earlier in the game when it was apparent that Brady was going to put in a stinker.

 

[alvinnf]

Actually, we should have just given the ball to Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis given he was popping at 4.8 yards per carry, running with authority and picking up first downs. The Patriots refused to get away from being in love with the shotgun and the passing game yesterday. It was 2009 all over again and ridiculous play calling by the Patriots.

It would have been reasonable to suggest that we could have run on the Jets from earlier in the game when it was apparent that Brady was going to put in a stinker.

Amen...... This team got away from being nasty up front.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Just venting, I've already stated it before with others. Gosh, I saw something off on Brady the minute he was shown in the tunnel. The guy with fire, the long hair flowing, the cursing, whatever it was, he was not that guy yesterday. I dont understand it, but Im not in his shoes.

Maybe that came right after BB told him he wouldn't have one of his best WRs to start the game.

 

[pherein]

Actually, we should have just given the ball to Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis given he was popping at 4.8 yards per carry, running with authority and picking up first downs. The Patriots refused to get away from being in love with the shotgun and the passing game yesterday. It was 2009 all over again and ridiculous play calling by the Patriots.

It would have been reasonable to suggest that we could have run on the Jets from earlier in the game when it was apparent that Brady was going to put in a stinker.

Brady is your best player, yes ausbacker, he didnt do a good job, and I believe messed up. There is no better guy to put the teams hands in. It happens, you are a better team than the Jets, we were better than the bears. Thats football.
Patriots would beat the Jets 7-3 times I believe, this was not one.

case and points Brees messes up also,.
Hulu - Game of the Week: 2006 Saints at Bears - Watch the full episode now.

 

[ATippett56]

Amen...... This team got away from being nasty up front.

LOL! When Dan Connolly is your best backup interior offensive lineman, that says it all. Next year, the New England Patriots can't rely on a 35 year old Stephen Neal at right offensive guard.

Shaun Ellis abused the right side of the New England Patriots offensive line especially Dan Connolly.

Shaun Ellis: Game Logs at NFL.com

 

[pheenix11]

Brady had to rehab his way back from a knee injury and missed an entire season. Wes Welker had to do the same thing and missed the playoff game last year. It has to be a tremendous kick in the balls for Brady & Welker after what they have been through the past two years for Welker to be benched to start this year's playoff game after such a long road back for both of them.

It sucks and as much as I love Belichick it was a terrible call.