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Tom Brady is Not the Problem


BayRaider

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Is it all Brady? Of course not. He didn’t just forget how to play QB.

however I will say this, and this doesn’t just apply to Brady, we cannot on one hand when Brady is playing great and Pats offense is moving smoothly give Brady for elevating talent then when things go bad and he’s playing below par lament his weapons and say “look who he is throwing too?!”

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34 minutes ago, Kip Smithers said:

Is it all Brady? Of course not. He didn’t just forget how to play QB.

however I will say this, and this doesn’t just apply to Brady, we cannot on one hand when Brady is playing great and Pats offense is moving smoothly give Brady for elevating talent then when things go bad and he’s playing below par lament his weapons and say “look who he is throwing too?!”

Elevating talent takes time.  Give Brady a full year with these guys and he’ll find a way to make it work... albeit closer to 2013 than 2017, because the talent is just not there 

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On 12/11/2019 at 5:36 AM, diamondbull424 said:

Disagree with the point of the OP. What I’ve seen from Brady in games is someone that’s lost and breaking down mentally. I see a QB that is feeling ghosts and getting the ball out before he needs to and guys uncovering right as he launches a non-catchable pass to make sure that HE doesn’t get plastered.

I won’t go so far as to say he’s selfish, but watching Brady has reminded me of Joe Flacco with the Broncos. The tools they have in NE (Harry, Sanu, Edelman, Michel, White) aren’t bad. Some things are schematics, but Brady has been getting the ball out, especially in these last few games with Wynn back, before he needs to. Sure he might have to take a few hits in so doing, but the play will be made. Brady is putting himself over those hits and for this particular offense that isn’t quite as quick strike in its dink&dunk approach as in the past, thats what the offense needs. Put in a rookie that can buy some time with his feet or stay in the pocket and take some hits and I think this Patriots offense sees definite improvements.

Brady being the same only means that he needs an elite threat such as the GOAT TE (Gronk) or the GOAT WR (Moss) to look like the GOAT QB. Before Moss/Gronk he was not viewed as the GOAT, just a winner. So if he’s the same guy (and he does look the same to me as well) I think this says more about Brady’s level as a QB. Not to mention the cheating aspect that he has obviously benefited from schematically. But this season, he’s definitely a big part of the problem. Which isn’t to say that there are not OTHER problems as well.

Yes he is getting the ball out quickly.  That’s what he has always done.  The difference is guys are not open.  

A QB getting sacked is a negative yardage play.  It is always better to throw the ball away than take a sack.  Thats not seeing ghosts or protecting yourself, its just smart.  Its also better to take a sack than throw an interception or fumble the ball which is why when he’s gonna get hit he doesn’t try to be a hero, he goes down and protects the ball.  Thats experience and smart football, that 90% of NFL QBs, no matter how talented, do not do. 

Romo made a great point last week that some people dont seem to get.  Brady goes through his reads faster than anyone in the league.  Within 2.5 seconds he knows what the defense is doing and which of his guys are going to be open.  If nobody is open and the pocket is collapsing he’s going to throw the damn ball away.  Its the reason he doesn’t take 12 yard sacks or turn the ball over often. 

There have been times this year he hangs on longer because he knows he needs to make a play... and he’s moving well and hitting his spots... and his guys just aren’t experienced enough in the offense to improvise, get open, and not good enough to win 1 on 1.  

Ability to make quick reads and place the ball perfectly are Brady’s main strengths.  He’s not an athletic QB.  He’s not a make something out of nothing guy.  He’s a point guard, not a shooting guard.  Similar to Peyton tbh.  The Pats offense is built around those strengths.  Even without elite weapons, if you have enough guys who are league average and smart, give Brady just a little time and someone gets open, he will find that guy and hit that guy.  It doesn’t work if nobody is getting open because nobody has experience in the offense (except one player, who is double teamed) and defenses can sell out because there’s no run game. 

I can absolutely buy that a Russell Wilson would have more success in this offense.  He is a make something out of nothing guy.  He is dependent on his offensive supporting cast but less so than a guy like Brady, because unlike Brady, he can make plays by himself, he can run around for 15 seconds and hope for an opening, throw it 50 yards downfield on the run, or run for a first down.  Thats never been Brady and never will be.  That wasn’t Peyton Manning either. 

Brady won an MVP, led his team to the Super Bowl, and came back from a 28-3 3rd quarter lead a few years ago... at 39... without Moss or Gronk.  He was throwing to guys like Danny Amendola who is a scrub now and Malcolm Mitchell whose out of the league.  Why did it work?  Because those guys had a couple of years experience in the system, knew what they were doing, had chemistry with Brady, and the Pats had an effective run game to run a balanced offense.  

I agree with others who say the receivers aren’t that bad from a pure talent perspective.  Given time I think Harry will be a very useful weapon, Sanu fits in, Edelman is not the same guy but he’s still Edelman, James White is James White.  Its just gonna take time and continuity and finding a couple of pieces to fill obvious holes on the offensive line and at tight end, and this group can come together.  

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To give people some perspective on what Brady is dealing with, that doesn’t quite come through when you look at a 1st round pick in NKeal Harry plus Edelman and Sanu, which sounds ok:

  • Pats are 29th in the league in yards per carry (3.5)
  • Bottom-5 left tackle play in the league by DVOA (it was probably 32nd before Wynn came back a couple of weeks ago)
  • Second fewest tight end targets in the league (again, probably 32nd before Ben Watson came back)
  • Fullback who was a big part of the offense is out for the season (Devlin) 
  • Maybe the least WR / TE continuity in the league... bolded are the guys who were on the team last year, both have been hurt on and off all season

All the top targets from the start of the year ... Gordon, AB, DT - Gone

All but one of the top targets from previous years ... Gronk, Hogan, Amendola, Cooks - Gone 

Edelman - banged up, has led to drop issues 

Sanu - been on the team for only a few weeks, and hurt for most of that time 

Harry - rookie, was hurt for most of the year, just re-joined the team 

Dorsett - banged up, has missed games and impacting performance 

Meyers - UDFA rookie, should be a practice squad guy 

Oshevsky - UDFA rookie, should be a practice squad guy 

Watson - rejoined team after like 10 years, was hurt most of the year, just getting integrated into offense and he’s like 38

Lacosse - first year with the team, complete garbage 

Izzo - Basically a rookie (missed last year), hurt all year, basically a non-factor, has 6 catches this year 

 

Edited by mission27
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