- 2001 Rams Super Bowl
The one that started it all. 2nd year in the league, first year starting, in the super bowl, Tom Brady led a late game drive against a good Rams defense with shaky pass protection and subpar offensive weapons to get into position for a game-winning field goal. People don’t realize that Brady didn’t have his number 1 receiver – Terry Glen – as he was suspended for the rest of the season before the playoffs started. It’s easy to look at this game as a low scoring game where Brady was “carried by his defense”, but when you actually look at the context of the game, and more importantly, that final drive, it truly is a classic Brady game.
- 2003 Panthers Super Bowl
In case anyone thought Brady needs his defense to win him games, Brady set records and threw for 300 yards and 3 TDs – and led another game winning drive for his team, to cap of 2 super bowl rings in 3 years. His defense gave up a record amount of yardage for a super bowl winning team. Tom Terrific proved that with him at the helm, you would always have a chance to win.
- 2016 Falcons Super Bowl
Does anything need to be said about this? Other than that this game made Brady the undisputed GOAT QB? and put him in that GOAT football player discussion?
- 2018 Patriots Chiefs
Tom Brady was age 41 at this point. His offensive weapons were an older Gronkowski who retired after this game, and an older Edelman who would only play 2 more years after this. Going up against the league MVP in his homefield.
Why is this game so impressive? Because late in the game, Mahomes – the MVP of the season by the way – got hot. He started scoring. What did Brady do?
He answered. And Mahomes answered right back. Then Brady answered again. In other words, Brady prevented himself from being a victim of his defense collapsing late in the game. So many quaterbacks have playoff games where they are good, and late in the game, their defense falls apart or gives up late drives and fails to make a stop. We cut them slack, and say “oh it’s not their fault!”. But Brady literally prevented this. He made the right reads, and in overtime, he converted three straight 3rd conversions and prevented Mahomes from getting the ball in overtime.
- 2021 Packers 49ers Divisional Round Game
Yes, a game that did not contain Tom Brady was still legacy defining for him. Why? Simple.
Everyone watching the game knows Tom Brady would have won this game. Proof?
Because Tom Brady is frequently derided for winning games like this so often – like the 2001 Rams Super Bowl, the 2018 Rams Super Bowl, the 2001 Raiders Divisional game – games where his defenses played well, and his offense did not put up points. Critics claim Brady was “carried” by his defense. But yet, in these games, Brady still led game winning drives, with mediocre offensive supporting casts, and against defenses (or defenses with some marquee talent).
Something Rodgers unfortunately didn’t do against 49ers, despite being in the exact same spot. Is Rodgers a bad QB? No, he’s obviously great. But what makes Brady special is that you know he would have won a game like this. He’s literally never lost a playoff game with these circumstances – but others, even the great QBs, have. Brady is just so reliable, and watching this game can help one realize this.
