The Semi-Official I'm A Little Concerned About Brady Thread

[Kontradiction]

Here is what you want to pay attention to:

FO Drive Stats

As long as the Pats stay in the top handful of teams in Drive Success Rate (DSR, Pats were #2 last week and may drop a little), Brady is doing fine. Considering the level of competition and the transitioning of new pieces into the offense (Branch, Tate, Hernandez, Gronk, Connelly, BJGE, Woodhead), he is actually doing remarkably well.

The offense is certainly a little unsettled, but they have had to "figure it out" on the fly. Unfortunately for Brady, this transition has happened against teams he traditionally has some difficulty with (all except Buffalo). Fortunately for Brady, the upcoming schedule gives him teams that he seems to do well against (Minn and Pitt)...and the remaining Jets/Fins games are at home.

It should be pointed out that, while Pittsburgh is a top overall defense, they are #25 against the pass. And, as you've mentioned, Brady has generally had a good amount of success vs. LeBeau.

 

[captain insano]

The Sporting News Fantasy section dredges up this tidbit today -
"After throwing for 4,398 yards last year and throwing for over 300 yards, seven times; Brady has yet to throw for over 300 yards in a game this season and has only thrown for 1,362 yards in six games. That puts him on pace for his lowest passing yardage total since 2006, when he threw for only 3,529 yards with 24 TDs and 12 INTs and Reche Caldwell was his leading receiver. Not bad numbers but not the numbers we have come to expect from Brady."

more here- Fantasy Source - Pro Football - Sporting News

Yes, yes, it's all about winning and we'd all take 2 more SB's over Tommy ever hitting 4,000yds again, I agree. But he has been up and down this year, hot one drive and ice cubed the next.

The schedule has something to do with it for certain - Cincy, NYB (the Jests), Baltimore and SD have top notch defenses and/or corners (or had them when we played them anyway). And while maybe not elite, Miami is hardly a cream puff on D as well.

But TB was so off at times in SD that I really began to wonder about: 1) his health, 2) The Minus Moss Factor, 3) The Insidious No Official OC Issue, and lastly, and a bit playfully, 4) Life with Gisele And The Kids Is Just Too Darn Good To Worry About Anything All That Much.

Before you have at it please note that irony beside, I am a TB fan and believer, not a troll. IMHO we'd have zero SB's without TB, and only that dimwit Asante Samuel's drop of a sure INT in the last SB separates TB from the pinnacle legend QB's - Montana and Bradshaw. Even so, I think TB may yet pass those two...

who cares. its about wins and losses not bradys passing yardage. 5 and 1 is the only stat that counts

 

[voluntarysaftey]

I don't care how many yards he throws for and neither does he. Just win baby. A concept foreign to fantasy football.

Yes, but more yards should help with winning. More yards against the Jets in the 4th q and we're 6-0.

In 2007 Brady looked incredible, and I think that set our expectations higher. In 06 he just didn't look on target at times. Last year he played decent (compared to 07), and we all thought he was still injured, so a better season was expected this year.

 

[LuthierJr]

I don't give a deep fried cat turd if his stats are horrible or great. So long as the team keeps putting W's down.

 

[RayClay]

Brady wasn't off. The whole offense was off. It all starts with the play in the trenches.

In 2006 we got to the AFCC Game. I don't care how many yards he throws for and neither does he. Just win baby. A concept foreign to fantasy football.

Agreed. for whatever reason, our offense does not get and stay in a rhythm. Not Tom's fault if he's being assaulted, or scanning the field with no one open, or the defense looks like they know the play better than our team does.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Yes, but more yards should help with winning. More yards against the Jets in the 4th q and we're 6-0.

In 2007 Brady looked incredible, and I think that set our expectations higher. In 06 he just didn't look on target at times. Last year he played decent (compared to 07), and we all thought he was still injured, so a better season was expected this year.

San Diego still leads the league in yards gained and yards allowed.

And who cares about passing yards? High passing yard totals usually indicate a team is behind and trying to catch up. 3 of the top 5 passing yard teams have losing records this season, with San Diego #1, Denver #3, and Dallas #4. The Colts and Saints are also in the top 5, though the Saints have been struggling with a 4-3 mark and last week's loss to the Browns.

Brady's fine. He played two of the top defenses in the NFL. We went 2-0 while dealing while adjusting to life without Moss and integrating Branch back into the offense. We'll find ways to free up Wes and adapt to the new way defensive coordinators are defending us.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

You should be concerned about Brady. He's not played a quality 60 minutes since the start of the season despite getting really good protection from the o-line until the Chargers game. This team is 5 - 1 because of the defense and special teams. They don't come up big against Miami and San Diego this is a 3 - 3 team. But how dare you critique the Golden boy. Some get very emotional around here if anything even remotely and justifiably negative is stated about Tom Brady.

 

[RussFrancis]

Ah, fantasy football. What a wonderful way to judge a player's value. LOL

First of all, Brady came into the season with Randy Moss as his primary weapon. And if anyone's lost something, its been Moss. Just look over his last 16 games or so. Or of course, go back and watch some film. I mean, if you want a guy running sprints down the sidelines a few times a game, he's dynamite. You want a complete or versatile receiver capable of making adjustments to opponents' gameplanning? Wrong guy.

Having said that, Brady was still working with this guy every day and planning on utilizing him all season, for better or worse. He's also working with two of his now most important cogs in this passing game for less than a year, Hernandez and Gronk. Throw in the fact that Welker's coming off the knee and not really the same guy right now, his new 'favorite' receiver has been with the team TWO whole weeks, Faulk went down with a knee, Woodhead's basically been with the team about a month, Crumpler's pretty much another brand new guy, Edelman's been virtually worthless, Fred Taylor's been out all year adding to the chaos, we just got rid of Maroney because, well, he was Maroney, and his best Olineman has been holding out all year?? All this has happened, we're still somehow leading the NFL in scoring, and our team has the best record in the league, and we're wondering what's wrong with Brady? Really? Wow.

By the way, I assume all of this has been previously mentioned somewhere in this thread. I just didnt read throughout. So, for repeating those sentiments, I apologize. Only confirming the obvious here.

 

[RodThePat]

You should be concerned about Brady. He's not played a quality 60 minutes since the start of the season despite getting really good protection from the o-line until the Chargers game. This team is 5 - 1 because of the defense and special teams. They don't come up big against Miami and San Diego this is a 3 - 3 team. But how dare you critique the Golden boy. Some get very emotional around here if anything even remotely and justifiably negative is stated about Tom Brady.

How the hell do you know that we lose the game in Miami if the special teams play isn't great? The offense had very few posessions in that game because of scores by STs and defense. You just can't make that projection, it's just dumb.

I don't think anyone here would argue Brady has played below his standards recently, especially in the last two games, but you're spewing this "he's played like crap the whole season" ********* on every thread, and that's what makes people upset. That is simply untrue.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

before moss and JMcd came and we went to wide open passing games , his stats werent great compared to say manning. one of the reasons people never gave him enough credit vs manning and always said it was the defense and he is a game manager etc etc. Comparing him to 2003 stats wise might be more appropriate. Unfortunately people just decide who is good by stats not by actuality on the field.

Here's the 03 comparison through week seven of 10:

Pass Rating: 2003, 85.9; 2010, 92.6
Completion Percent: 60.2%; 66.2%
Interception Percent: 2.3%; 2.0%
Yards/Attempt: 6.9; 6.9
Yards/Completion: 11.4; 10.4
(The one yard difference in "Yards/Completion" amounts to a 131 yard difference over six games, so not material IMO.)

So, you're right. I don't get the concerns with Brady. As someone else observed, even the mediots know he's having a great season and are mentioning him for MVP, with some putting him at the top of their lists.

 

[RodThePat]

Here's the 03 comparison through week seven of 10:

Pass Rating: 2003, 85.9; 2010, 92.6
Completion Percent: 60.2%; 66.2%
Interception Percent: 2.3%; 2.0%
Yards/Attempt: 6.9; 6.9
Yards/Completion: 11.4; 10.4
(The one yard difference in "Yards/Completion" amounts to a 131 yard difference over six games, so not material IMO.)

So, you're right. I don't get the concerns with Brady. As someone else observed, even the mediots know he's having a great season and are mentioning him for MVP, with some putting him at the top of their lists.

In the other Brady thread I posted the stats Peyton Manning had 6 weeks through his 2008 MVP season and they were FAR worse than Brady's. This fanbase is really, really spoiled. Even guys like Brady don't have the benefit of the doubt when they play two off games in a row. There were people saying he'd have to straighten it out soon to prove he is still elite. This is just ridiculous.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

I don't think anyone here would argue Brady has played below his standards recently, especially in the last two games, but you're spewing this "he's played like crap the whole season" ********* on every thread, and that's what makes people upset. That is simply untrue.

Actually many folk would disagree that Brady's play has been below standard. Did you even read this thread? Nah I guess you didn't read this thread because I never suggested that "he's played like crap the whole season". That just emotional teenage girl chat you get around here whenever attempting to have an honest conversation about the team. What I have said is Brady has lots of toys on offense, until the San Diego game Brady has gotten great protection from the o-line and yet he's been very very inconsistent with his game. This offense goes limp for long stretches of games and the HOF QB is the primary reason for it. I've simply asked fans why Brady is performing "below his standards"????

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Actually many folk would disagree that Brady's play has been below standard. Did you even read this thread? Nah I guess you didn't read this thread because I never suggested that "he's played like crap the whole season". That just emotional teenage girl chat you get around here whenever attempting to have an honest conversation about the team. What I have said is Brady has lots of toys on offense, until the San Diego game Brady has gotten great protection from the o-line and yet he's been very very inconsistent with his game. This offense goes limp for long stretches of games and the HOF QB is the primary reason for it. I've simply asked fans why Brady is performing "below his standards"????

And we've simply responded by explaining to you that he hasn't because the new toys are just that, new and therefore inconsistent, and he's working with the hand he's dealt which has always been his strong suit whether some of the dunderheads who post here grasp that or not...

 

[RhodyPatriot]

And we've simply responded by explaining to you that he hasn't because the new toys are just that, new and therefore inconsistent, and he's working with the hand he's dealt which has always been his strong suit whether some of the dunderheads who post here grasp that or not...

Oh so it's the new toys that explain away Brady's poor throws and disappearing act during games?? Hey as long as it's not Tommy we're blaming right MoMo?? Hey let's look at the new toys Peyton Manning has been forced to deal with the past couple of years and how it's brought down Manning's game. Oooops!!

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

And we've simply responded by explaining to you that he hasn't because the new toys are just that, new and therefore inconsistent, and he's working with the hand he's dealt which has always been his strong suit whether some of the dunderheads who post here grasp that or not...

2009 was a stat year where we saw the Pats go on the road, get a lead, and die in the end. The 2009 Pats would have been 16-0 to 14-2 with 2003-2007 Brady.

This year we are seeing fewer stats. However, in San Diego and Miami and Cincy and Baltimore and Buffalo the offense was money in the second half when the game was on the line.

The Jets was the outlier and most likely why Moss is gone.

The offense is transitioning on the fly so inconsistancy is expected. The great part is they are making the adjustments and finding their rythm within the confines of game on the line, situation football.

The best guess is the offense will follow the defense into 60 minutes of quality play.

Also, 3 of the 6 games (Cincy/Miami/San Diego) were "weird". As such the stats don't follow a path that a normal "set piece" football game would produce.

 

[ScottieC]

The Sporting News Fantasy section dredges up this tidbit today -
"After throwing for 4,398 yards last year and throwing for over 300 yards, seven times; Brady has yet to throw for over 300 yards in a game this season and has only thrown for 1,362 yards in six games. That puts him on pace for his lowest passing yardage total since 2006, when he threw for only 3,529 yards with 24 TDs and 12 INTs and Reche Caldwell was his leading receiver. Not bad numbers but not the numbers we have come to expect from Brady."

more here- Fantasy Source - Pro Football - Sporting News

Yes, yes, it's all about winning and we'd all take 2 more SB's over Tommy ever hitting 4,000yds again, I agree. But he has been up and down this year, hot one drive and ice cubed the next.

The schedule has something to do with it for certain - Cincy, NYB (the Jests), Baltimore and SD have top notch defenses and/or corners (or had them when we played them anyway). And while maybe not elite, Miami is hardly a cream puff on D as well.

But TB was so off at times in SD that I really began to wonder about: 1) his health, 2) The Minus Moss Factor, 3) The Insidious No Official OC Issue, and lastly, and a bit playfully, 4) Life with Gisele And The Kids Is Just Too Darn Good To Worry About Anything All That Much.

Before you have at it please note that irony beside, I am a TB fan and believer, not a troll. IMHO we'd have zero SB's without TB, and only that dimwit Asante Samuel's drop of a sure INT in the last SB separates TB from the pinnacle legend QB's - Montana and Bradshaw. Even so, I think TB may yet pass those two...

5-1, Ranked 3rd in most Power Rankings, 5th in the League in Passer Rating, Working with a bunch of new guys and having to read D's without Moss, and you are worried about Brady?

Really? Really?? This is nuts.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Oh so it's the new toys that explain away Brady's poor throws and disappearing act during games?? Hey as long as it's not Tommy we're blaming right MoMo?? Hey let's look at the new toys Peyton Manning has been forced to deal with the past couple of years and how it's brought down Manning's game. Oooops!!

No

What Mo is trying to do is explain to you the situation that is completely obvious to anyone with intelligence north of clown.

Manning....huh? The only time when new "toys" were brought in mid season for goober was in 2007 when he threw six interceptions in San Diego (remember Craphonso?). Also, it appears you have been in a different reality because the mediotacy spent most of 2008 excusing poor Manning play because he missed training camp.

Actually, I have even heard that line 2 or 3 times this year.

Your other major problem is you can't grasp the difference in major changes to personnel mid season vs off season moves that allow for a full year off season of work.

Actually, Mo might be over-stating this a bit. The offense had problems in the first half but made adjustments and forced their will on the San Diego defense.

How else does one explain a a 17 play/83 yard/ 9 minute TD drive? The other drive was a long drive for a FG. Then the 4th down.

Teams struggle for part of a game, make adjustments, then win. It only happens in 100 percent of the weeks in about 95 percent of the games.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

And we've simply responded by explaining to you that he hasn't because the new toys are just that, new and therefore inconsistent, and he's working with the hand he's dealt which has always been his strong suit whether some of the dunderheads who post here grasp that or not...

You're wasting your time, Mo.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Actually many folk would disagree that Brady's play has been below standard. Did you even read this thread? Nah I guess you didn't read this thread because I never suggested that "he's played like crap the whole season". That just emotional teenage girl chat you get around here whenever attempting to have an honest conversation about the team. What I have said is Brady has lots of toys on offense, until the San Diego game Brady has gotten great protection from the o-line and yet he's been very very inconsistent with his game. This offense goes limp for long stretches of games and the HOF QB is the primary reason for it. I've simply asked fans why Brady is performing "below his standards"????

And, I think the response has been that, in a game as complex "on the field" as football in the NFL, Brady has been playing very well this season and this has been recognized by members of the media who usually tend to downplay his accomplishments.

You accuse those who disagree with you of "emotional teenage girl chat," but, to be honest, the only emotional chat that I'm reading is coming from you.

I put out his stats for 03 and 10 (to date) and they are virtually identical, as are the stats for 01; 04 was a slightly better year, but not materially so. So, if you have any data to buttress your argument, please put it forward.

The Pats are 5--1 with Brady at QB; his stats thusfar compare favorably to each of his SB championship years; typically critical members of the media have him on or at the top of their MVP lists. So, other than emotional words of chat and opinion how do you support what you are saying?

 

[BradyManny]

Prior to the Moss trade - he led the league in catchable balls thrown, by some margin. I don't think he threw more than 1 or 2 bad passes through 4 games. Over the last two games, he has been off the mark far more than the rest of the entire season.

That is mildly disconcerting.

However, we were facing two very good pass defenses.

If you compare to Manning, statistically, he'll likely fall short at the end of the year. The fact is that Manning's division has - and has for some time - two of the worst passing defenses in the league. Manning gets to play those teams a total of 4 times, or 25% of his games. A quarter of Manning's games are gimmes, basically, when it comes to passing attacks.

Brady meanwhile, faces the best of passing defenses game after game - especially this year. The stats are not going to pile up like before. But stats aren't all that important. Just look at the Moss trade - sure, it's hindered Brady statistically, but has the offense not produced when it needed to? It came back from down 10 against a brutal D vs. the Ravens and came out and opened the half with an epic drive against SD. That's all we need.