Mike Tanier - The Decline of Tom Brady, Part XIV: This Time It's Really Happening

[May Day 10]

If they were in almost any other Division (maybe any other), things would look a lot worse for them.

 

The 5-6 wins banked and no competition is keeping them in contention as a Division winner and (normally) an inside track for a bye.

 

 

Without a healthy Gronk, life is very difficult for Brady.  Gordon helps a little bit, but not nearly the safety valve with a 20 foot catch radius Gronk is.  

 

 

Looking at the schedule, they should be at 11 or 12 wins, possibly good enough for a bye.  They do look vulnerable... and I do not see them going to Pittsburgh or KC in January and winning, let alone both (if they get out of the 1st round if they needed it).

 

 

I just hope Allen is the real deal and the Bills are ready to compete once New England is truly exposed.

 

[dollars 2 donuts]

13 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

If they were in almost any other Division (maybe any other), things would look a lot worse for them.

 

The 5-6 wins banked and no competition is keeping them in contention as a Division winner and (normally) an inside track for a bye.

 

 

Without a healthy Gronk, life is very difficult for Brady.  Gordon helps a little bit, but not nearly the safety valve with a 20 foot catch radius Gronk is.  

 

 

Looking at the schedule, they should be at 11 or 12 wins, possibly good enough for a bye.  They do look vulnerable... and I do not see them going to Pittsburgh or KC in January and winning, let alone both (if they get out of the 1st round if they needed it).

 

 

I just hope Allen is the real deal and the Bills are ready to compete once New England is truly exposed.

 

 

 

Well said, May Day.

 

Agree with most everything.  However, I have this feeling that if they lose at Pittsburgh in a few weeks that maybe 12-4 may not be good enough..Normal it should be but I bet there is an outside chance of Pitt going 12-3-1, or a potential tie-break with Houston at 12-4.  If I am wrong then I hope they lose at least one more to be at 11-5.

 

I think no first round bye, but a potential strong playoff showing (loss in Championship game?) could push Brady, either way.

 

Is it a good way to go out given where him and the team are?

 

or

 

Is it enough success for him to give it one more go and he wants to at least go out with another  super bowl appearance?

 

Unfortunately I don't think it works out for him if he sticks around for next year.  I seriously see the possibility of a 10 win, or even 9 win season and maybe making the playoffs but with an easy and early out.

 

That would not be a "success" for him.  It would be actually watching him get old before our eyes.

 

I know I am biased as a Bills fan, but he has been so good for so long that he should go out relatively as he has been for the last 15 years...on top.

[May Day 10]

I would actually be fine with Brady staying.  Especially if there is some sort of quasi power-struggle with him and Kraft vs Belichick.  I will love to see the brady flounder season.

 

Its also a possibility Gronk could hang them up due to being fed-up health-wise.  That is the important one.  

[Soda Popinski]

Sucks that we don't even have a half competent offense.   Maybe we will next time we face them.   It was impressive to watch our defense really get after them.   

 

If he's done, thank god.   I'm tired of it.   Maybe this division will become competitive again instead of the dumpster fire it is right now.   

[row_33]

Just now, Soda Popinski said:

Sucks that we don't even have a half competent offense.   Maybe we will next time we face them.   It was impressive to watch our defense really get after them.   

 

If he's done, thank god.   I'm tired of it.   Maybe this division will become competitive again instead of the dumpster fire it is right now.   

 

To have an O you have to make it a priority and then hire people who think the passing game is important 

 

 

[Soda Popinski]

Just now, row_33 said:

 

To have an O you have to make it a priority and then hire people who think the passing game is important 

 

 

I think Daboll believes the passing game is very important, if you look at what he did with Alabama's QB in the second half of that NC game he took that offense from the dumpster to winning a national championship by throwing the ball downfield.   

 

He doesn't have the weapons  or the QB yet.  But you saw what he did with Barkley last week.   I think when Allen is ready that's what we will look like.   An offense that can push the ball downfield.  

[ExWNYer]

I need to witness them actually driving the wooden stake thru his cold, black heart before I can fully believe that he's at the end.

[C.Biscuit97]

Margot Roby will go out with me. Margot Roby will go out with me. Margot Roby will go out with me.  If I keep repeating it enough times, one day it will be true! ?

 

he’s 41.  Of course he isn’t as good as he was 5 years ago.  Still, his decline is better than 95% of nfl qbs and the pats are 7-3 despite missing Gronk, Edelman, Michel, and Gordon for chucks of time.

6 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:

I need to witness them actually driving the wooden stake thru his cold, black heart before I can fully believe that he's at the end.

I think we really killed Mike Myers this time.  Let’s just assume we did and walk away!

 

also, Brady’s age 41 season in decline would be one if the best qb seasons in Bills history. ?

Edited November 15, 2018 by C.Biscuit97

[ExWNYer]

2 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Margot Roby will go out with me. Margot Roby will go out with me. Margot Roby will go out with me.  If I keep repeating it enough times, one day it will be true! ?

 

he’s 41.  Of course he isn’t as good as he was 5 years ago.  Still, his decline is better than 95% of nfl qbs and the pats are 7-3 despite missing Gronk, Edelman, Michel, and Gordon for chucks of time.

I think we really killed Mike Myers this time.  Let’s just assume we did and walk away!

 

???

[thebandit27]

3 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Margot Roby will go out with me. Margot Roby will go out with me. Margot Roby will go out with me.  If I keep repeating it enough times, one day it will be true! ?

 

he’s 41.  Of course he isn’t as good as he was 5 years ago.  Still, his decline is better than 95% of nfl qbs and the pats are 7-3 despite missing Gronk, Edelman, Michel, and Gordon for chucks of time.

I think we really killed Mike Myers this time.  Let’s just assume we did and walk away!

 

Have you watched them much this year?  When they can't run the ball, they're toast.

[ExWNYer]

bandit, I agree with you on this year's Pats* and I know the end has to come for Brady eventually but people have shoveled dirt on him before and he always ends up proving them wrong. Maybe he's finally heading into his "end-of-the-line Peyton Manning phase" where he carries them to another Super Bowl on sheer will but it's still hard to pronounce "time of death" just yet based on what we've witnessed from him time and time again. That said, this is the first time that I've actually let myself believe that something seems different this year and we may finally be witnessing the beginning of the end.

Edited November 15, 2018 by ExWNYer

[thebandit27]

3 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:

bandit, I agree with you on this year's Pats* and I know the end has to come for Brady eventually but people have shoveled dirt on him before and he always ends up proving them wrong. Maybe he's finally heading into his "end-of-the-line Peyton Manning phase" where he carries them to another Super Bowl on sheer will but it's still hard to pronounce "time of death" just yet based on what we've witnessed from him time and time again. That said, this is the first time that I've actually let myself believe that something seems different this year and we may finally be witnessing the beginning of the end.

 

Make no mistake: I'm not saying that Brady is done.  I'm saying that he's very clearly in decline, and that it wouldn't surprise me if he decided that he didn't want to finish his career as anything less than the Tom Brady we've all come to expect, and therefore hung 'em up at the end of this year.

[CaptnCoke11]

Patriots will be just fine.. 

[ExWNYer]

1 minute ago, thebandit27 said:

 

Make no mistake: I'm not saying that Brady is done.  I'm saying that he's very clearly in decline, and that it wouldn't surprise me if he decided that he didn't want to finish his career as anything less than the Tom Brady we've all come to expect, and therefore hung 'em up at the end of this year.

 

I totally agree with you there. I think he is too prideful/arrogant to accept that he is less than the best and would hang them up at the realization of that. If they win it all this year, I could very well see him calling it a career.

[FeelingOnYouboty]

I'm not going to believe it until I see him lowered in the grave

[RoyBatty is alive]

8 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:

bandit, I agree with you on this year's Pats* and I know the end has to come for Brady eventually but people have shoveled dirt on him before and he always ends up proving them wrong. Maybe he's finally heading into his "end-of-the-line Peyton Manning phase" where he carries them to another Super Bowl on sheer will but it's still hard to pronounce "time of death" just yet based on what we've witnessed from him time and time again. That said, this is the first time that I've actually let myself believe that something seems different this year and we may finally be witnessing the beginning of the end.

 

Peyton hit the wall badly by  39, Brady will be 42 for next year season.  Gronk will deterioration further and high probability he retires.  This is no false alarm anymore.

[row_33]

12 minutes ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

Patriots will be just fine.. 

 

they aren't what they once were, but that is probably good enough in 2018

 

 

9 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

 

Peyton hit the wall badly by  39, Brady will be 42 for next year season.  Gronk will deterioration further and high probability he retires.  This is no false alarm anymore.

 

but teams go out and find new players to replace those leaving the game

 

they don't sit there on a heap of ashes and cry

 

 

[mannc]

5 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

 

Peyton hit the wall badly by  39, Brady will be 42 for next year season.  Gronk will deterioration further and high probability he retires.  This is no false alarm anymore.

I know Gronk has been hurt a lot, but he’s not even 30 years old yet.  Can’t see him retiring.

[row_33]

with their 8th win they will clinch the division

 

they don't care about "the stats"

 

 

[RoyBatty is alive]

3 minutes ago, row_33 said:

 

they aren't what they once were, but that is probably good enough in 2018

 

 

 

but teams go out and find new players to replace those leaving the game

 

they don't sit there on a heap of ashes and cry

 

 

Certainly, just witness Josh  Gordon signing but replacing  a first round HOF  Tight End is not a trivial matter.  As an aside, Gronk headed for his worst season by far, he has averaged .75 td/game until this year, .14.