Bill Simmons on Tom Brady/Matt Cassel

[Hootie]

The Montreal Screw-Job Award for "Most Shocking Turn on a Beloved Figure"

I didn't call my father during the first half of the Baltimore beating. There was nothing to say. When you give up an 83-yard run to start a game against a team you know wants to run 40 times, you kinda know how it's going to turn out. We all knew the 2009 Patriots had a playoff stink bomb in them; just not in Round 1 at home. Anyway, I was too depressed to call him at halftime. After another Brady interception in the third quarter, my cell phone started vibrating. Yup, it was a text from my dad.

"We never should have traded Cassel."

(Ouch.)

[Sully]

Originally Posted by Hootie

It just makes me happy as an avid fan of the NFL to see Brady finally looked upon as what he is...

A good QB who played in a great system with all of the right pieces and was the leader of a dynasty...

but not an all-time great.

That's dumb.

[DBOSHO]

Originally Posted by Hootie

oh so suddenly Randy Moss is Oakland Raiders Randy Moss, and since Wes Welker was injured now we're going to play the "Tom Brady needs WEAPONS!" card!

Oh, ok. Got it.

Peyton Manning has Dallas Clark! It isn't fair!

(Coming from the same guys who tell us how unimportant the TE position is)...

Such hypocrites when it comes to this debate...it's hysterical.

FORTUNATELY...outside of a few people...everyone gets it now...

The Pats are DONE.

The Colts aren't...

Did you watch the pats this year? Moss jogged on some of his routes. Even the espn dudes acknowledge it. I never said randy was bad so stfu.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Hootie

They lost to a better Patriots team on the road in the playoffs?

That's simple. It's not like the Patriots didn't have the better seed or anything.

But Peyton choked that year...yet Tom wasn't the choker in 2006 when he ended their season, at Indy, with a pick on the final drive where a TD sends them to the Super Bowl.

That isn't a choke job...nevermind they were winning 21-3 at one point...

No one is arguing that Brady has never choked in the clutch.

as a matter of fact, I would aregue that he has choked in the clutch in the Patriots last three playoff losses.

What we are arguing i sthat he has delivered in the clutch more than Manning has.

And the fact is, that point is inarguable.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Kinda funny I expect the Ravens to beat the Colts....the Colts run D is garbage and Ray Rice well he's good.

Just not going to happen...

In fact...

I almost expect the Colts to keep the Ravens running game fairly in check.

The Ravens ONLY CHANCE of winning tonight is scoring first...and not a field goal, either.

If the Colts jump out 7-0...game over.

The Ravens better win the toss and elect to receive.

[Mecca]

Randy Moss isn't the Patriots problem, if anything he turned Wes Welker into a star because everyone is worried about him getting deep.

Their problem is their defense turned to mush and they still have no running game and start passing 80% of the time.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by DBOSHO

Did you watch the pats this year? Moss jogged on some of his routes. Even the espn dudes acknowledge it. I never said randy was bad so stfu.

have you watched Randy Moss for the past 12 years or are you just now tuning in?

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Hootie

Just not going to happen...

In fact...

I almost expect the Colts to keep the Ravens running game fairly in check.

The Ravens ONLY CHANCE of winning tonight is scoring first...and not a field goal, either.

If the Colts jump out 7-0...game over.

The Ravens better win the toss and elect to receive.

The Colts struggled like hell with the Ravens in their first meeting they musterd what 20 points something like that?

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Kinda funny I expect the Ravens to beat the Colts....the Colts run D is garbage and Ray Rice well he's good.

If the Ravens can consistently get pressure on Manning, and they can get a couple TDs on the board and go into the 4th quarter with a lead, I think they win.

Manning can not deliver in the clutch against pressure.

[DBOSHO]

Originally Posted by Hootie

so Matt Cassel sucks for regressing the 2007 Patriots from 16-0 to 11-5...but Tom Brady gets a pass because the 2009 Patriots aren't the same as the 2008 Patriots.

Got it.

Its pretty obvious that the defense has gotten worse since last year. Idk why you cant see that.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Hootie

There are two promises I can make every NFL postseason:

Ready for them?

I promise you if Tom Brady and the Patriots lose...everyone will make excuses for Tom Brady because he is a "winner"...and "winners" never lose.

That's one.

My other promise?

If Peyton Manning loses, he's a choker.

I.E. This thread where Milkman references the Charger losses over the past two years.

In the Playoffs, you get the 'Peyton loses because he's a choker' line, because SO MANY MANY TIMES the other team raised it's play and Peyton lowered his.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by milkman

No one is arguing that Brady has never choked in the clutch.

as a matter of fact, I would aregue that he has choked in the clutch in the Patriots last three playoff losses.

What we are arguing i sthat he has delivered in the clutch more than Manning has.

And the fact is, that point is inarguable.

I just disagree...

Just because the Patriots have won 3 Super Bowls doesn't mean Tom Brady delivered in the clutch.

Because I don't think he did...

If the Patriots EVER had ANY pressure on them in those last drives in those Super Bowls...then sure, depending on the drive and scenario, I'd label him a captain clutch in a heartbeat.

The fact is...

Both times they needed a score to win in the Super Bowl the games were tied...

Everyone knows that pressure is SQUARELY on the opposing defense...

I'd love to have seen Tom Brady down by 4 on one of those drives...

[RedThat]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Kinda funny I expect the Ravens to beat the Colts....the Colts run D is garbage and Ray Rice well he's good.

Yup. I agree Ray Rice is a gamer. I think the Colts are going to have a tough time stopping him.

[DBOSHO]

Originally Posted by Hootie

have you watched Randy Moss for the past 12 years or are you just now tuning in?

You are the master of ducking questions.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by Mecca

The Colts struggled like hell with the Ravens in their first meeting they musterd what 20 points something like that?

They sure did...

I've done a bunch of research on that game...

The Ravens were 0-4 in the red zone and the Colts were 2-4 in the red zone...

Neither one of those things are going to happen this time around...

The game is also in Indianapolis.

This is the one game (other than the Chargers maybe) where I can see only two possible outcomes...

A close game where the Colts will probably win 8 out of 10 times...or a blowout where the Colts win by 10+...

Like I said...the only chance for scenario A in my opinion is the Ravens scoring 1st...

if the Colts jump out 7-0 I think it's going to be a route.

[RedThat]

Originally Posted by Hootie

I just disagree...

Just because the Patriots have won 3 Super Bowls doesn't mean Tom Brady delivered in the clutch.

Because I don't think he did...

If the Patriots EVER had ANY pressure on them in those last drives in those Super Bowls...then sure, depending on the drive and scenario, I'd label him a captain clutch in a heartbeat.

The fact is...

Both times they needed a score to win in the Super Bowl the games were tied...

Everyone knows that pressure is SQUARELY on the opposing defense...

I'd love to have seen Tom Brady down by 4 on one of those drives...

That whole team was clutch Hootie. It really comes down to that.