Is Brady to blame for the offense's struggles?
The 4-1 record that the Patriots own does not really reflect the amount of headaches that this team's offense has caused for fans. Though the defense has made some serious improvement, it has been the offense that is lacking. After leading the NFL is various offensive statistics last year, the offense has been nothing more than mediocre. With Tom Brady at the helm, one would expect much more.
However, Brady himself has been struggling severely.
He is on pace for his worst season (statistically) since his career began. According to the Boston Herald, Brady is on track for the fewest touchdowns and most sacks since 2002 as well as the lowest quarterback ranking since 2001, when he first earned the starting job.
Because the quarterback position is obviously the centerpiece of any offense, it is easy to say that Brady's sub-par performance is the source of the unit's struggles.
Miscommunication with receivers, un-Brady-like throws and debatable decisions have left fans in awe. This is not the Tom Brady that we are used to. However, throughout the struggles, Brady has managed to get the W for the team in 4 out of the 5 games so far by getting the necessary amount of points.
He may not be playing at the level that we've all come to expect, but that is because he's Tom Brady. The standard that Brady has set over the years is one that settles for nothing less than excellence.
This season so far has been an exception however, as we all know. Brady's numbers may not be too good, but we also need to acknowledge that his lack of weapons is absolutely crucial to his success.
This year was the perfect example of the managerial philosophy that comes with having Tom Brady as your quarterback; the team feels that they can give him average receivers and TB12 will turn them into stars, which has also worked in the past.
However, there is no debating that this year's receiving core has been the weakest in recent memory. Other teams make the effort to get a star player to surround their quarterback with (ie: Peyton Manning) whereas the Patriots seem content with letting Brady manage an under-the-radar group of guys.
When it comes down to things, maybe Brady is at fault for a reasonable amount of the offense's struggles.
He isn't playing at the level that he's showed all of us he is capable of. In his defense though, this team is going through a transition in offensive philosophy as well as dealing with critical injuries (Amendola, Gronk, Vereen).
The defense has bailed the Pats out so far this year, but it is only a matter of time before TB12 makes things right and puts this offense on the top of the leader boards once again.
What makes Tom Brady great is his determination and dedication to continually improve, so don't be surprised if he has a huge game and sparks a serious offensive turnaround very soon. When that happens, the rest of the league better watch out for the Patriots.
Anthony Aidonidis
@aidonidis18
#TB12
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| Marc Lebryk/USA TODAY Sports |
He is on pace for his worst season (statistically) since his career began. According to the Boston Herald, Brady is on track for the fewest touchdowns and most sacks since 2002 as well as the lowest quarterback ranking since 2001, when he first earned the starting job.
Because the quarterback position is obviously the centerpiece of any offense, it is easy to say that Brady's sub-par performance is the source of the unit's struggles.
Miscommunication with receivers, un-Brady-like throws and debatable decisions have left fans in awe. This is not the Tom Brady that we are used to. However, throughout the struggles, Brady has managed to get the W for the team in 4 out of the 5 games so far by getting the necessary amount of points.
He may not be playing at the level that we've all come to expect, but that is because he's Tom Brady. The standard that Brady has set over the years is one that settles for nothing less than excellence.
This season so far has been an exception however, as we all know. Brady's numbers may not be too good, but we also need to acknowledge that his lack of weapons is absolutely crucial to his success.
This year was the perfect example of the managerial philosophy that comes with having Tom Brady as your quarterback; the team feels that they can give him average receivers and TB12 will turn them into stars, which has also worked in the past.
However, there is no debating that this year's receiving core has been the weakest in recent memory. Other teams make the effort to get a star player to surround their quarterback with (ie: Peyton Manning) whereas the Patriots seem content with letting Brady manage an under-the-radar group of guys.
He isn't playing at the level that he's showed all of us he is capable of. In his defense though, this team is going through a transition in offensive philosophy as well as dealing with critical injuries (Amendola, Gronk, Vereen).
The defense has bailed the Pats out so far this year, but it is only a matter of time before TB12 makes things right and puts this offense on the top of the leader boards once again.
What makes Tom Brady great is his determination and dedication to continually improve, so don't be surprised if he has a huge game and sparks a serious offensive turnaround very soon. When that happens, the rest of the league better watch out for the Patriots.
Anthony Aidonidis
@aidonidis18
#TB12
