Tue Feb 16, 2021 12:28 am
I don't think football is a sport where you can have a single GOAT. You can't really compare positions to pick out one top dog. Brady winning all those rings on the surface sure seals the argument for him for the QB GOAT, but take a closer look if the rings are your measurement of success:
For Tampa this year, 3 TDs and a clean passing game but who's gonna say that the defense and Fournette didn't have just as much to do with the win?
Solid game management vs. LA, but no TD passes and a pick. That was a team win.
He was spectacular but came up short vs. Philly in 2018. This one's on Bill for benching Butler inexplicably.
He clearly was the difference against Atlanta, although James White is still saying what about me, Edelman's circus catch made it all possible, and an conveniently forgotten pick 6 by TB made it harder.
He was good vs. Seattle, but wasn't that really on Pete for not letting Lynch just win it for Seattle?
Eli and JPP get him for a second time in 2011, a pedestrian performance by TB.
2007, with his best offensive team to date, he comes up short to Eli, with a pedestrian performance.
2005, pedestrian performance, team win.
2004, good game by Brady, but he was matched by Delhomme. A classic "Brady to Vinatieri". Team win.
2001, nice game management, and a great 4th quarter drive that Bill allowed him to engineer rather than listen to the John Madden's of the world who wanted to play it safe. Clearly a team win, with the first of many "Brady to Vinatieri" wins. But Bill stuck with him as the starter, and he let him go for it with 1 minute to play. Sometimes you have to allow the GOAT to be the GOAT. If they don't go for that, maybe the Rams win and none of this stuff ever happens?
A fun trip down memory lane. I'm a Pats fan, and I'm not taking part in the current New England Bill vs. Tom nonsense because to me, none of this success happens without each of them being together. Plus this is just looking at super bowls. One of, if not the biggest reason he has had so much success in the post season is because they never had to sweat much to get there, they got the easy division and usually a bye because of that. Every time. The ineptitude of the Jets, Bills, and Dolphins during this period probably hasn't been matched by any other division in the game.
The perfect situation, and they took advantage of it for nearly 20 years.
I think Druid points out something important that also helps elevate Tom over the rest of the QBs, that's his ability to get the most of his teammates, to lead by example and to instill confidence in even the bleakest of situations. I've seen that for his entire career, and it carries into the defense too. It's special, for sure. Hell, he got Gronk to leave his puzzles and miserable back aches to come play a full season at what looked like pretty good form. Hmmm......
But he didn't do all this on his own. That's my whole point here.