BY HIS OWN lofty standards, Tom Brady had an average night against Green Bay on Sunday. Completing just 22 of his 35 pass attempts for 294 yards and a touchdown; Brady was arguably outplayed by Aaron Rodgers on the night.
Crucially though, with the teams tied at 17-apiece entering the fourth quarter, it was Brady who led his side on two touchdown drives.
First, he completed four straight passes for 34 yards before Julian Edelman and James White combined for 37 yards through the air.
After the Patriots’ defence forced a three-and-out, Brady connected with Josh Gordon on a 55-yard pass to seal the deal and move the Patriots to 7-2, the second best record in the AFC.
Rodgers, for his part, completed 24 of 43 pass attempts for 259 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
But consider that Rodgers is seven years younger than Brady and that the latter has 261 games under his belt, the very fact that he can live with the Packers’ man at all is nothing short of remarkable.
However, it’s his longevity that has probably caused us to take Brady for granted. As Neil Young once sang, it’s better to burn out than it is to rust.
Because we’ve seen him do remarkable things for so long, competing in eight Super Bowls, we watched him throw for 500 yards in his last — with his top-two receivers being Chris Hogan and Danny Amendola, both undrafted free agents — and shrugged as if it was no big deal.
Because he completed his first pass in 2000, we watched him become the first NFL player to total more than 80,000 yards (passing, rushing, and receiving) in his career and talk about how creative Bill Belichick is with his run game this season.
And Belichick is part of the reason we underrate Brady.
Like Bert and Ernie, Bill and Ted, Batman and Robin; it’s hard to imagine Brady without his head coach or vice versa.
As GM, Belichick routinely brings in waifs and strays — some with more success than others — but it’s virtually impossible to tell whether or not the coach has unearthed a hidden gem, or Brady’s play makes them better.
When you go back over the list of skill position players who have gone to the playoffs during Brady’s time in New England it start to feel the former sixth round pick might have more to do with it.
For example, Reche Caldwell looked like Jerry Rice when he grabbed seven receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers in a playoff game in 2006. A week later he dropped two huge passes as the Colts claimed the AFC title and was unceremoniously dumped before the start of the 2007 season.
David Givens is a two time Super Bowl champion and was Brady’s go-to guy in 2004. Despite being a seventh round draft pick, he was the Patriots’ record-holder in postseason touchdown receptions until 2015 when Gronk passed his mark.
Even Brady’s better weapons — with the notable exception of Randy Moss — fall well below what others who enter the Greatest Of All Time discussion had to play with.
Wes Welker, Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola are all great, but Joe Montana had Jerry Rice and Troy Aikman had Michael Irvin.
The year he won the Super Bowl, Rodgers had Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson; Brady’s last Vince Lombardi came while his best offensive weapon — Gronk — was sitting on the sidelines for the year.
I’ll always count myself incredibly lucky to watch that game in person, and not just because of the record-breaking comeback.
Like Tiger on the hunt on a Sunday afternoon, LeBron playing all five positions at once, or Roger Federer at his imperious best on the Wimbledon grass; when Brady gets the bit between his teeth, there are few forces on earth can stop him.
During his career we’ve seen Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, and Rodgers put together future Hall of Fame careers and Brady’s been better than all of them.
He brings his game to another level, one that other quarterbacks just can’t reach. And he does it so often we become complacent about it.
Love him or loathe him, you’ll miss him when he’s gone.
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lead by example captain robbie and stop waving your arms looking for fouls.
hush now less of that banter its all a bit of craic and a excuse to get pissed, have the faith there’ll be a few more sessions
We have kept the faith Robbie now get off your arse and repay it!!!
Would have more faith if keane was dropped for shane long.
He just doesn’t have the fitness, while longs height will Benefit that questionable long ball game we play. Unfortunately It looks like he’s starting, cox and himself were training together. Either way come on Ireland
agreed
Time for a reality check here…let’s face it, this Irish team does not have the required quality and technical ability needed to get the results we are all “dreaming” of. At best we are looking at 2 defeats and a draw…but we are there and let’s try and enjoy the occasion…
fk yeah we’ll have a pint, and hope they do well, but they’re awful, the worst team there. As for robbie, hes bloody RETIRED. la galaxy and some trite comment about it just being another game. They will give the ball to Spain again and again and it will b painful. As for people giving thumbs down to comments that aren’t hopelessly optimistic, cop on. You live in a corrupt boghole of a banana republic, getting all teary eyed about a couple of geezers kicking a ball about when your country was sold from under you by inbred turds. Y’all did fk all about that didnt you? Great guys to get behind Ireland when it costs you nothing. Stay in the cowardly herd with your coybig bs. Id rather see them lose and try to play than lose the way they did and will do.
Janey Mac is all I can say to that
I would b a fan of robbies but it’s not all about past achievements he’s not playin well a d should be on the bench
I’ll start too when your on the bench
Joke of a comment, we have very few players that have not only shown commitment to their country from the very start to the very end of their career, not to mention delivered as well when it matters. Keano is without a shadow of a doubt one of them.
Not saying that gives him automatic rights to a start, he knows that himself and said it two years ago. But facts are facts and he gets big big goals in big games.
One word – “Dream”
Well we got there and should be proud of that and as long as they are playing I will believe cmon Ireland I love this country
With a population of 4 million and a semi pro league we’ve always punched above our weight.
All the naysayers said we wouldn’t qualify, now they’re saying we won’t get out of the group, we’ve nothing to lose. COYBIG!
For you its just another game… Its a lot more than just another game to a lot of fans and home and especially away… u should run your socks off and do your best to get a result… at the end of the day it is 11 men against 11 men… i cant see why we cant get a result but we have to go into it with a good attitude and show no fear…. COYBIG
Exactly man.
The fans have more passion than the players.
The last game was actually cringe worthy and extremely frustrating.
They should be destroying themselves out there, giving the cliched 110%.
Robbies 300/1 to score a hatrick v Spain. I heard David Villa and Butragueno are 50/1.
He would have more chance of winning the lotto twice over..
Ireland will lose to spain and italy alike and will go home as predicted by me on th 19th june ,
If you predict it on 19th June it’ll already have happened – what black magic is this?
For everyone who are convinced ireland will lose. 2/7 are the odds for spain to win. You might have to give your bank 24 hours notice if you are withdrawing your life savings for a bet.
We’re still in with a shout i think…
..in 2016..
first you didnt want me to buy the pony, now you want me to bring it back. make up your mind marge…
The faith of what?