Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
It was only a few years ago that I was pointing at Peyton Manning and calling him “second-rate.” Why? Well for one, Manning never won in the playoffs. But to make matters worse, there was that post-game interview in 2006, after Indy lost a divisional playoff game to the Steelers. The one where he threw he pinned the Colts’ upset on the failure of the offensive line.
Not only would Tom Brady never … (gulp) … lose in the playoffs, but he would NEVER call out his teammates after a game that he lost. Never.
Err… Maybe yesterday was an exception, then. After the Patriots lost a game to the lowly Miami Dolphins—and Brady threw a boneheaded INT with New England driving to win it—he had some choice words for his teammates, naturally:
“Everyone has got to focus on what they need to do better. I think that’s the most important thing: being mentally tough to overcome adversity," Brady said. "When things don’t go your way, you have to fight back. That’s a challenge for all of us. I think at times we do, and at times I don’t think we fight very hard.
On its own, I guess that quote’s not that big of a deal. But you have to consider it alongside this whole season—and everything since that huge Super Bowl loss, really. Suddenly, Tom Brady’s not impervious to criticism, and where the old Brady might have taken the sole blame for this loss, suddenly he’s pointing at teammates and saying sometimes “we” don’t fight very hard.
That means “they” don’t fight that hard, and “Look guys, I’m not the problem here.” Maybe he’s right, of course. But just for the record, the old Tom Brady never would have said something like that, and that’s what made him so special. He was unstoppable AND a great teammate.
Now, he’s stoppable and… well, you decide.
(HT: PFT)
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Let's all calm down
He’s still got 22 TD (to 10 INT), and over 3600 yards. I’m guessing he went and got all human on when his knee exploded (which — hopefully — explains why he’s still missing open WRs, throwing behind them, etc.).
by Ryan Hudson on Dec 7, 2009 9:51 AM EST reply actions
Andrew, come on
This is beyond silly.
First off, the “old Tom Brady” was always known to complain on the sidelines during and after a loss. After a particularly embarrassing loss to the Colts in 2005 (40-21), after the game Brady refused to take questions from reporters. We also have seen the “old Brady” talk boastfully prior to Super Bowl 42, only to see him and his offense choke big time against a supposedly inferior Giants team.
The reason the Patriots are losing is because their defense cannot hold a lead. This puts more pressure on the offense to score more, which is not a formula for success in the NFL. When Peyton Manning had to deal with this for the first seven or eight years of his career, people labeled him a “choker.” That was a moronic label then; about as moronic as claiming Brady was “unstoppable AND a great teammate,” back when the Patriots had a good defense.
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by Brad Wells on Dec 7, 2009 12:49 PM EST reply actions
I was wondering when you were going to call this "Crap" crap!
by Justin Pugh on Dec 8, 2009 4:28 PM EST up reply actions
Brady got too much credit when the Pats were dominating; it stands to reason that he should get some of the blame when they’re struggling, too.
by Chris Mottram on Dec 7, 2009 3:10 PM EST reply actions
This is hilarious
When you refer to your thoughts of Manning after the divisional loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Steelers (a game that Manning nearly led an 18 point 4th quarter comeback against insane pressure) you say the following: “Not only would Tom Brady never … (gulp) … lose in the playoffs”
he lost the previous night.
EVH+DLR=BFFr........ God I Hope So!!
by dmstorm22 on Dec 8, 2009 12:18 PM EST reply actions
This article is a pile of crap… All of sudden winning isn’t coming so easy. Running up the score isn’t just being allowed by teams that actually care to fight back for their own self-respect and team pride. Finally their vaunted passing attack can be stopped because um… Brady really only has one go to receiver now, because the tall lazy bum on the team can only run a 15 yard slant on play action and a go route.
Tom Brady doesn’t have a hard nosed defense to help him eek out close wins because playing not to lose is what they do best in big games.
Give me a break….
Brady has always been human… no one ever questioned it when it really showed, because everyone always assumed that it was just an aberration.
Now Patriot fans see what it feels like to have an All Star QB with no defense and how hard it can be to place all the weight on his shoulders to carry the team. Personally Peyton did that with tremendous poise and confidence… um…. now that Brady is having to get use to that idea, he isn’t too sure of himself….
by Justin Pugh on Dec 8, 2009 12:27 PM EST reply actions
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