I am taking into account the whole package. He seems to play better in big games, but overall his consistency is a giant question mark. I remember at least 3-4 extremely close games last year...in fact I would call them nail biters. Take those close games, and if they went the other way, you don't even make the playoffs. Don't get me wrong though, I actually like the Jets(as an opponent) and want them to do well. I just don't think Sanchez is the guy to get you over the hump.
So, as I understand it, the Jets only win close games, and didn't deserve their record. They didn't lose any close games over the last two years, did they?
The Pastes, of course, did not have any close, 'nail biter' games early in the 2000's, did they? Not in 2001? Does your fan memory go back that far? Silly me, now that I look back on that season, it appears that the Pastes lost many of those close games. Your understanding of football is sorely lacking in relevant knowledge.
I never said that at all, stop trying to put words in my mouth. They absolutely deserved their record, I was merely pointing out that a few of those games could have gone either way as they were very close. in fact, there were a lot of close games last year, 3 of which were losses, Miami, Chicago, Bears. My point was that your defense played stellar most of last year and that level of play kept you in games. As far as the playoff game against the Pats, 5 sacks and a pick definitely helped your cause, sure Sanchez threw for 3 tds, but he only threw for just under 200 yards. Your Defense is the staple of your team, not your QB and that is my whole point. Like I said before, It would be nice to see Sanchez go nuts this year and air it out to his new WR threats, but I am doubting his ability to do so on a consistent basis. You may not agree, but it is still my opinion, and it is based off of watching him play.
We are looking at last years games here man. You are missing my point entirely, I am not bashing your beloved team at all, yet you choose to try and insult me with using pedestrian level intellect? Good luck!
If you look at the past 5 years Tom Brady has underperformed in the playoffs based on his consistently high caliber regular season numbers. 07 He had 50TD and 8INT's in the regular season along with incredible completion %, YPA and in the playoffs he dropped statistically across the board and finished with 6TD and 3INT's. That's a huge drop off and clearly a key reason they lost in the SB with probably the best regular season O in NFL modern history. 09 he had 28TD 13INT's he had 2 TD and 3 INT's in the playoffs. 10 he had 36TD to 4 INT's and had 2 and 1 in the playoffs. When the Pats won their SB they were a much more balanced team that relied on the QB much less than the current teams. When Brady was asked to do less he clearly was much more clutch in the playoffs. Now that he is asked to carry the team he has underperformed his regular season numbers in the playoffs and the Pats have faltered. Sanchez on the other hand has been asked to do less and has over performed his regular season numbers in the playoffs. Perhaps pressure based on the expectations is at play?
I just do not think it is that complicated. We are talking about competitive close games here, there have been no real blowouts(aside from Baltimore, where they were done in the 1st quarter). Even the loss to the Giants in 07, Brady drove up 80 yards to take the lead before the lucky miracle off the helmet catch. In last years playoff loss, the Jets had one of the best, if not the best defense in football. They were aggressive, and wanted to win more than the Pats did. I tip my hat, but that was definitely no blow out, and Brady did not perform that badly. Let me ask you all this question. Do the Pats look better this year than they did last year?
I wouldn't be able to answer this question just yet. Like everyone else, the Pats have some new faces and new question marks. What I do know, is that Brady is another year older. All QB's have that one season that tells everyone they are beginning their decline. What if this is that season for Brady? Do you feel Brady has yet to reach his peak, or did he perhaps reach his peak a few years ago. If your answer is the latter, then that means the rest of the team needs to be significantly better than last year's team if they expect to get far in the playoffs. Maybe they will be that much better...but it's definitely too early to tell.
Chicago AND the Bears? My point is you cannot just look at one side of the close game equation and draw anything from it. The Jets won some close games, but they also LOST some close games. Trying to read anything into that, as you did, is specious reasoning at best. That's not putting words into your mouth.
I haven't seen them play a game that counts yet. I don't have the slightest idea if they are better or worse than last year.
The 'patriot way' is an anachronism. The idea of the robot-soldier football player that is not allowed to speak or express themselves in any way is not working for them. Remember when Belichek 'benched' Welker for the beginning of the playoff game? Guess who the first pats player to touch the ball in that game. Welker on a punt return. The hypocrite doesn't even commit to his own ideals- again. There is such a feeling of repression in the pats, that Brady had to go to Brazil to wear a headband and dance like a retarded woman in public. If he was free to express his inner-housewife, maybe he could be a proud gay man instead of a nervous closet case that panics and makes bad throws when a pass rusher gets within five yards of him.
Clearly when the Pats were built around Defense and a balanced O along with having the opponents signals, the Pats won 3 SB. What is also clear they have built the team around Brady's arm to a much greater extent since they stopped winning SB. You pointed out that Sanchez is inconsistent yet the team doesn't depend on him nearly as much as NE depends on Brady. When Sanchez was able to lift his game in the playoffs the Jets went deep. The Pats haven't been able to get a lift from Brady in the playoffs because teams have focussed on stopping him. You couple that with the lack of balance and NE has been less than a stellar team in the playoffs in recent years. That's why you see BB trying to get more balance.
On average quarterbacks have lower productivity in the playoffs than the regular season. You are playing much better teams on average than in the regular season, after all. This is true for the two most recognized quarterbacks of this generation, and many other significant QBs. If you are going to say Brady is underperforming expectations you need to compare the results of all quarterbacks in the post season vs. the regular season to establish a baseline, and then compare that result to Brady's result.
Clearly when the Pats were wining SB Brady wasn't throwing picks. I would suggest you look at his stats in the SB years and since and you will see a definite trend toward more mistakes. We also know that Sanchez has lifted his game in the playoffs. As far as the rest of it, you can compare it if you like. The point is Brady was spectacularly under control when the Pats won and he has been less than that lately. It could be Weiss, it could be the D or the lack of balance it could be he has a case of the Gipps now that he has all the pressure on him?
Or maybe Brady is 34 years old, has 3 rings and a shitload of cash, and is becoming a little less quick, a little less durable and a little less motivated every year?
The Patriots defense is also far weaker than in their championship years. This places the offense in a bad position - and when the opposition can predict what you will do things become very hard. However I do have a suspicion that Brady hasn't been as accurate on the deep pass since his knee injury. I haven't looked at the numbers but it would be interesting to investigate.
A big part of the Patriots success was not only Brady but that defense as well. Back then they all seemed to play with heart and carried a certain swagger with them. The defense was nasty. I remember Bruschi ripping the ball out of the Colts rb hands one year in the playoffs. Wrs knew they were gonna get lit up by Rodney Harrison. I think a major part of the Pats lack of post season success is missing that tough defense that they used tl bring with them backing Brady in the playoffs every year.
