Super Bowl Hangover Pt. 2: From Bradying to Welker | Cold Hard Football Facts

Some of us might not like what this epic article from Scott Kacsmar has to say, but to ignore the numbers he lays out would be foolish. This whole thing is loaded with interesting and pertinent stats, leaving us with one thought…

Maybe it isn’t the Patriots inability to develop field stretching, outside X-receivers that’s been the problem, maybe it’s just that the deep ball is not (and has never been) Brady’s strength.

And please read the article before you get all hot and bothered by that statement and start ranting about 2007.

It’s a fair discussion at this point in Brady’s career.

What was different in 2001-04 that led to a 9-0 playoff record and three Super Bowl wins? Brady still averaged only 6.42 YPA and 10.27 YPC in those nine games.
 
The difference is Brady made up for a lack of offensive production by protecting the ball (just 3 interceptions on 304 attempts), a lot of good situational football, and of course a defense and special teams that kept the score down and even added to the scoring for the team.
 
They held six teams to 17 points or less, won a wild shootout with Carolina in a Super Bowl, and intercepted Ben Roethlisberger and Donovan McNabb three times each in the 2004 playoffs.
 
Brady still was rarely pushing the ball down the field, but the team was better prepared to grind out victories because of the defense they had. Now that the team is more built around Brady and excel so much offensively in the regular season, the expectations are higher for the playoffs, as are the requirements for them to win games. And they are not being met.