Among NFL QBs, Brady at head of the class

[bengaldee]

By Tom Weir, USA TODAY
The enduring image of Tom Brady's 2005 season is the goal-line interception he threw in the New England Patriots' divisional playoff loss to the Denver Broncos.
That glitch sent Champ Bailey on a 99-yard return and set up the Broncos touchdown that left Brady with his first taste of defeat in 11 postseason games.

It also finally proved Brady can be mortal on a huge stage but did absolutely nothing to diminish his status as the NFL's most esteemed quarterback. Our panel of experts made Brady a unanimous selection as the game's best at directing an offense.

"The best way to put it is there is no quarterback I'd rather have than Tom Brady," New England coach Bill Belichick said. "His preparation is outstanding. His work ethic is outstanding."

Also outstanding is Brady's record when the pressure builds to ear-popping levels.

"He's a poster boy for that," Denver coach Mike Shanahan said. "He's played his best games when the pressure's been on the line. He's played at such a high level consistently in tough games. ... You can't say enough good things about him."

That Brady clearly elevates himself against the toughest opponents in the biggest games is perhaps best demonstrated by his 3-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio in the postseason. In the regular season, he's just less than 2-to-1.

Compare Brady's 15 TDs and five postseason picks with that of some of the other recent greats, and you can't find anyone who is as proficient at nailing end-zone passes while committing a minimum of mistakes. Joe Montana's playoff numbers were 44 touchdowns and 21 interceptions, Steve Young's 20-13, Troy Aikman's 24-17, Dan Marino's 32-24 and John Elway's 27-21. Brett Favre stands at 33-26, and Peyton Manning checks in at 15-8.

Last season Brady explained his postseason approach at a news conference.

"You try to play error-free football more so than any other games you play in," he said. "You're playing the best teams in the league, and when you play the best teams in the league, any one mistake can get you beat. The games usually come down to one or two plays. Every opportunity that you have in the scoring zone, you have to take advantage. Every open receiver you have, you need to able to hit them."

And while Brady certainly has had talented targets in Deion Branch, Troy Brown and now-departed David Givens, he hasn't had a Jerry Rice or Marvin Harrison. Brown is the only Patriots receiver to make a Pro Bowl appearance this century, and one of his two trips was as an alternate.

Brady's best show of being able to maximize every available set of hands probably came in 2002, when he threw touchdown passes to 11 different receivers, tying an NFL record.

Also, no Patriots tight end or offensive lineman has been elected to the Pro Bowl since Brady replaced Drew Bledsoe at quarterback in 2001. Yet Brady has taken a supporting offensive cast that lacks superstars to three Super Bowl victories and in the process has joined Montana, Terry Bradshaw and Bart Starr as the only players to twice be named the Super Bowl MVP.

"Pressure doesn't really bother him. I think the guy's phenomenal. I really do," said former New Orleans Saints coach Jim Haslett, who is now the St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator. "He makes everything go. I think if the guy is not the best player in the league, he's got to be in the top two or three."

Buffalo Bills safety Troy Vincent said, against Brady, "If you don't pressure him, you have absolutely no chance.

"You don't want (Brady) just looking at your defense and staring you down and looking you over, because 95% of the time he is going to make the right call and put the ball in the right place."

In the prelude to their playoff matchup, Denver linebacker Al Wilson called Brady "definitely the best in the league right now."

"He is always calm and always laid back and relaxed," Wilson said. "You never see Brady panic."

That trait is made clear by Brady's 7-0 record in overtime games, the NFL record for OT victories without a loss.

Added Shanahan: "He has the ability to focus downfield with a pass rush right in his face, and there's not a lot of guys who can do that. ... Tom has just gotten better and better every year."

Brady, who turns 29 in August, is indeed coming off a career-high season for passing yards, with 4,110. He'll also have a chance to build on his .744 winning percentage (58-20), the NFL regular-season record during the Super Bowl era for quarterbacks with at least 32 starts.

At New England's minicamps, Brady naturally lamented the Patriots' dwindling Super Bowl veterans, on a team that has been hit hard by free agent exits and raids on its coaching staff.

"All that history that we've had here and all the great players that have come through here, we're going to miss them," Brady said.

But he also expressed a desire to take on more responsibility.

"There's always pressure on the veteran players, there's always more pressure on me," Brady said. "As I say that, I realize that if there is going to be pressure on someone, I want it on me. I don't want to leave it up to anybody else."

Brady also acknowledged he has spent more time at New England's practice facility this offseason. Mostly, he's interested in the parking spot reserved for the team's best player.

"I'm just trying to win that parking spot again," Brady said. "I've had a lock on that parking spot, and I'm not ready to give it up. I enjoy being here. I enjoy working out. I enjoy being here with the guys. I don't ever feel like I'm obligated to be here."

With Givens gone to Tennessee and Branch a disgruntled absentee from minicamp, Brady's 2006 season might present an opportunity to prove even more greatness by succeeding with fewer blue-chip receivers.

This clearly looms as a transitional season for New England's passing game. Tight end Ben Watson earned minicamp raves and is expected to get more throws, but he has had only 10 starts in two seasons. Rookie Chad Jackson has breakaway speed and caught 88 passes for Florida, but he is only 21. Brady's other new target is Reche Caldwell, who was let go after averaging 19 catches in four seasons with the San Diego Chargers. But Brady made it clear he still has his sights set on another Super Bowl, where a fourth victory would match Bradshaw's and Montana's record for quarterbacks.

"When I watch all the highlights from successful seasons and winning Super Bowls, every time I sign an autograph on one of those Super Bowl pictures, it's like, 'We're going to get back there.' "