As some of you know, my friend and collegue, WoburnJoe (name�s Joe, hails from Woburn, MA�.hence
WoburnJoe) has written some pieces lately that I�ve
posted on the Message Board, on the topic of Ben Roethlisberger
being a better quarterback than Tom Brady.�
Pressed for details on this assessment, Joe yesterday, transmitted via
email, the following:
Dave,
In response to requests from some friends, I've added some stats to my
"treatise". The middle section now begins...My most negative
response to Brady is his inability to make good things happen when the game
plan is failing. On the great Belichick coached
teams he has been blessed with, he has had few occasions to be tested in this
way. But taken as a whole, he has failed on those few occasions.
Cases in point:
To end the '02 season, Brady threw a combined 3 INTs,
only 2 TDs in the critical last three games, for a
rating of 57.7;
In the first game of '03, Brady threw 4 INTs, 0 TDs, rating 22.5, while
his team was massacred by Buffalo.
He also threw 2 INTs and fumbled the ball twice in
week 13 against the Colts. In that year's AFC playoffs, he was 43 of 78,
and threw 1 INT, rating: 74.7;
In their two '04 losses, Brady was the obvious weak link. Versus Pittsburg he went 25 for
43, 2 INTs, 2 TDs, with a
fumble loss, rating: 72.9. Versus Miami
in week 15 he went 18 for 29, 3 TDs, 4 INTs, rating: 73.3;
In '05 they lost seven games. Brady played
poorly in six (horribly in four, including the final post-season loss).
Against Carolina
he was 23 for 44, 1 TD, 1 INT, and a fumble loss, rating: 69.3. Against
SD he was 19 for 32, 1 TD, 1 INT, rating 78.1. Against Denver he was 24 for 46, rating 79.9.
Against KC he was 22 for 40, 1 TD, 4 INT, rating: 42.5. In the last game
of the regular season, against Miami,
he was 3 for 8, for 37 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, rating: 52.6. In their
second-round post-season loss to Denver,
he was 20 for 36, 1 TD, 2 INT, rating: 74.0;
In '06 the Pats lost five times. Brady played
poorly in all five. Against Denver
he 31 for 55, rating: 79.4. In back-to-back losses to the Colts and the
Jets, he was a combined 44 for 71, 1 TD, 5 INT, rating: 59.3. Then of
course, there was the '06 playoff loss to Colts-sealed with a Brady INT.
You may do with this what you will.
Joe