For various reasons these are the best playoff performances of this colossus of the sport
The number 45 has been the target of Tom Brady. His goal for a long time has been to play at least until that age.
When Brady takes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl LV against the Heads of Kansas City on February 7, that number will come in a different way: it will be the 45th game in the playoffs in his career.
45!
It’s almost three full extra seasons of football.
Brady’s performance in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game is not among his top postseason statistical gems; it was his first playoff game with three interceptions since the 2009 Wildcard Round (an overwhelming defeat to the Ravens). But one thing that is clear this season is how Brady’s impact on the Buccaneers has gone far beyond the stats.
Bruce Arians noted after the victory, “The belief he gave everyone in this organization, that this could be done; it only took one man.”
In that sense, Brady’s work over the past three weeks, as a leader in the Buccaneers ’solid complementary game that interweaves the offensive, defensive, and special teams, is one of the best of all time, especially considering which is his first year in Tampa and the season is played out during a pandemic.
Brady now has a 33-11 mark in playoff games and ranking his best performances in the postseason often generates a debate about what he should prioritize: level of competition, stats, decisive play, impact on the franchise, and so on.
A list of the top 10 also provides an ever-evolving roadmap for a trip down Memory Lane, one that will likely continue to be updated in the future as Brady continues to challenge Father Time:
10. Super Bowl XXXIX: Patriots 24, Eagles 21
date: February 6, 2005
Brady completed 23 of 33 for 236 yards with two touchdowns (one to the lineman turned defensive wing, Mike Vrabel) with the defensive containing the Eagles when needed. Deion Branch was Brady’s favorite target, who had 11 receptions for 133 yards and was the JMV.
10. NFC Divisional Round: Bucs 30, Saints 20
date: January 17, 2021
Brady’s excellence didn’t shine in the statistics (18-33, 199 yards, 2 TD, 0 Int), but that game tied for tenth place, in part because it reflects his impact on the franchise. The Buccaneers were noisily defeated twice by the Saints during the regular season, had a slow start to the game, however, Brady’s tough mentality to face the Saints’ tough defense was at the championship level and did not allow their team gave way and overcame deficits of 6-0, 13-10 and 20-13. Sometimes the best performances – which capitalize on changes of possession and are complemented by fierce defenses – are beyond statistics.
9. Super Bowl LII: Eagles 41, Patriots 33
date: February 4, 2018
Brady was caught trying to lead a final series possibly to win the game, which led to disappointment, but he was brilliant at all times: 28 of 48 for 505 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. One of the plays he would have liked to complete, was one in which he was open as a receiver, which hurt even more after the Eagles converted from a similar play by TD.
8. AFC Championship: Patriots 24, Jaguars 20
date: January 21, 2018
He wasn’t the best from start to finish, but he was magical in the fourth quarter leading the team and turning a deficit of 10. Brady completed 26 of 38 for 290 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions, a performance that was more impressive considering he played with 12 points on his left hand, as a result of a significant cut five days earlier in a practice.
7. Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots 20, Rams 17
date: February 3, 2002
From a statistical perspective, this game would be near the bottom of the table (16-27 by 145 yards, one touchdown and 0 int), but it rises from a game situation standpoint. As analyst John Madden told television that the Patriots should go to overtime, Brady – then in his second season in the NFL and his first as a starter – approached the Patriots within goal distance of field and win the game.
6. AFC Championship: Patriots 36, Steelers 17
date: January 22, 2017
The Steelers defense was unrivaled for Brady, who finished 32-42 for 384 yards, with three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Brady handled with skill on the defensive, and his accuracy was decisive in almost every shot. Chris Hogan (nine receptions, 180 yards, two touchdowns) and Julian Edelman (8 receptions, 118 yards, 1 TD) were the main targets. It wasn’t the first time Brady stabbed the Steelers defense, as Brady recalled in the NFL 100 All-Time Team, the 60-yard touchdown run for Deion Branch in the AFC championship game on May 23. January 2004, was one of the best releases of his career.
5. Super Bowl XXXVIII: Patriots 32, Panthers 29
date: February 1, 2004
A game that started without points ended up being a shootout, with Brady completing 32 of 48 passes for 354 yards, with three touchdowns and an interception. Similar to his first Super Bowl, he required a last-minute winning final series, aided by Carolina’s kick-off that ended up off the field of play and allowed the Patriots to start in the 40th yard of their own field. .
4. AFC Championship: Patriots 37, Chiefs 31
date: January 20, 2019
Turns three different 3rd and 10th into the winning final series in overtime, it’s the crucial moment definition (clutch), with Brady finishing 30 of 46 for 348 yards, with a score and two interceptions. One of the interceptions, in the yard a Chiefs, could have been costly, but Brady’s mental strength pushed the situation forward and was an epic aspect of the effort. That this game was at Arrowhead Stadium, in front of a noisy crowd, adds to why it was so awesome.
3. Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots 28, Seahawks 24
date: February 1, 2015
It was with Malcolm Butler’s interception in goal line that sealed the win, but Brady was excellent in the final quarter against one of the NFL’s best defenders to help the Patriots come back from a deficit of 10 points. He finished 37 of 50 for 328 yards, with four touchdowns and two interceptions and took JMV’s honors. He then gave the van he won for the JMV to Butler.
2. Divisional Round: Patriots 35, Ravens 31
date: January 10, 2015
Brady completed 33 of 50 yards for 367 yards, with three touchdowns and an interception, and led a furious return in the second quarter from 14 points down with an unusual tactic in which the Patriots declared ineligible receivers to ineligible players. Brady added a 4-yard touchdown that culminated in an emphatic celebration, and then his focus shifted to post-match interviews when he responded to criticism from Ravens coach John Harbaugh, saying he would study the regulation.
1. Super Bowl LI: Patriots 34, Falcons 28
date: February 5, 2017
With a 28-3 lead in the third quarter, in part because Brady threw a pick-six, the Patriots needed the best comeback in Super Bowl history to get it. Brady was sensational in the second half and overtime, and finally finished 43 of 62 for 466 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception. He was captured five times, which reflected his toughness to beat and not give in. What made the win even more emotional was the presence of her mother, Galynn, who was attending her first game of the season because she had battled breast cancer.