Congrats to Tom Brady

Submitted by Mich04-08 on December 26th, 2020 at 5:29 PM

Another team and another playoff run. What a career from Michigan to the NFL. How did the Lions pick up on the greatness of Charlie Batch at Eastern Michigan, but totally miss Tom Brady at UM?

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Mich04-08

December 26th, 2020 at 5:42 PM ^

In his years with NE without Brady, Belichick is 21-22 and missed the playoff each year (Bledsoe, Cassel, Newton).

Actually, Belichick has made the playoffs only once in eight seasons without Brady (1994 Cleveland Browns) and his coaching tree is crap (Patricia, Weis, Crennel, Mangini, McDaniels, etc).

Joined: 12/06/2020

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lbpeley

December 26th, 2020 at 6:04 PM ^

I won 2 FFL championships in a row back during that time. 1 with Brady. Then the next year I had Brady again but he went down with the knee thing in the first damn game. I picked up Cassel and won with him. He did put up good numbers. But he was no Brady. I believe I had AP that year as well so that definitely helped. 

Joined: 01/29/2009

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Perkis-Size Me

December 26th, 2020 at 5:40 PM ^

Father Time is waiting for Tom Brady. Tom Brady is making him wait. Just a little longer.  

Pretty remarkable what he’s been able to do at 43, with a completely new team stocked full of players who had talent but have never been to the playoffs, who have never known what it means to be winners. Who have only ever known a culture of losing and underachievement. 

Amazing how much one man can change all of that. This team is still a big, fat, irrelevant loser if Jameis Winston is the QB. 

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Broken Brilliance

December 26th, 2020 at 5:47 PM ^

The last few years I was squarely in the "Belichick made Brady" camp but TB has proven he is great enough on his own to lift a team. Best all time qb season in franchise history. Keep going and do the Beav proud, Tommy!

Joined: 09/07/2010

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Mgotri

December 26th, 2020 at 5:55 PM ^

The Lions missed the same way literally every other NFL team missed on him. 

Of the many dumb things the lions have done over the years this one is pretty far down the list. 

there are far more uniquely Lions draft misses to not have to mention them in the context of Brady

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jdraman

December 26th, 2020 at 5:56 PM ^

Interesting stat of the day comes by way of TB12

Michigan football QBs touchdown passing stats in the state of Michigan this season:

Brady - 4

McNamara - 1

All others - 0

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blueandmaizeballs

December 26th, 2020 at 6:53 PM ^

To bad Brady is a dick of a person.  Used to love the guy until you hear about his personal life and the very terrible life choices he makes and supports. .  I know I will get downvoted but that's why they say most professional athletes are terrible role models.   He and his wife are millionaires and probably close to billionaire. But they someone take loans from the Covid-19 relief for his business.  Dick move.  Makes 50 mill in  2 years but needs help paying for his business while others who actually need it go out of business.  Just one example. 

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treetown

December 27th, 2020 at 12:14 PM ^

Player evaluation and development - two of the weak spots for the Lions. 

This whole argument misses the synergy between the two. Brady early in his career needed someone to give him time and help to develop and a chance to play. Belichik saw enough in the rookie to keep 3 QBs and when Bledsoe got hurt put Brady in and stuck with him even after Bledsoe recovered. Over time they no doubt helped develop each other. Look in contrast and the uneasy relationship between Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy at the Packers. They should have won more and been a longer term partnership.

After a long time and long easy familiarity moving on can be difficult. Had Brady been drafted to another team, he might have ended like some other good Michigan QBs: retired by now. Other coaches have had great players without putting together a decade long run and this was before the salary cap. Belichik was the first NFL coach to realize and implement some of the spread passing ideas from college and spent time with Chip Kelly before going to shotgun based attack for most plays. He realized he had a QB with a quick release, accuracy and most of all correct reads to make a 4 or 5 WR look feasible. Is he a great coach - yes, but probably a better de facto GM - he's wrung more out of a roster of later round draft picks and judicious signings than many other teams. 

Right now, Belichik and his team have to restructure their offense because they no longer have the veteran receivers and a QB who knows the system inside and out - they've gotten complacent and reads and throws that were automatic are probably being missed.

Brady did a smart move in going to a team that could protect him and get him some targets. Otherwise he could have ended up like Johnny Unitas with the then San Diego Chargers or Joe Namath with first version of the LA Rams. 

When something is working well, both the coach and the QB should appreciate how rare that is and try to keep it going as long as possible.

Matthew Stafford should consider a move while he can - maybe he'll experience a late career surge like Jim Plunkett did when he left the pre-Belichik (Chuck Fairbanks was the coach) Patriots. 

 

 

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