Patriots need to go all out with Brady
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| Doug Benz/Rueters |
After starting 10-0 in his playoff career and winning 3 Super Bowls, Brady has gone 8-8 since winning it all in 2004. And he lost twice in the Super Bowl to the Eli Manning and the New York Giants.
If he had won one or both of those, we probably wouldn't be having this discussion, but he lost both games to the younger Manning. And with an 8-8 record has come doubt about his postseason performance in recent years. Nobody disputes that he is a future Hall of Famer, but winning another Super Bowl would quell any doubts about his legacy. And to do that, the Patriots need to go all out to get that 4th Super Bowl.
The reason why is pretty simple - Brady's postseason legacy is in doubt right now. Like I mentioned above, he started out hot and has cooled off in recent postseasons. The 8-8 record and 2 Super Bowl losses since he last won in 04 could be a spot of hesitation for some Hall of Fame voters. Some, not all, mind you. That "some," though, could be enough to keep Brady out of Canton on the first try, at least. So, from a media standpoint, a 4th Super Bowl would almost 100% guarantee a 1st ballot selection into Canton.
I haven't even gotten started on Brady's competitiveness - he'll want to go out on top. He'll want to retire a champion. He can't be happy with an 8-8 postseason record and no Super Bowl wins since 2004. Knowing Brady, he'll want to retire a winner. He'll never admit to it, but I'm sure he thinks about what he'll leave behind when he leaves the game, and he'll want to be remembered in the best light possible. And the way to do that is win Super Bowl #4.
So, how do the Patriots go all out? It's simple - you build the best team you possibly can around Brady through the draft and free agency. For me, the places they need the most help in is on defense. Once Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo get healthy, the run defense should be pretty solid, but Aqib Talib's future in New England is uncertain. I'd like to see him stay, but that's not guaranteed, so they should have a back up plan just in case Talib goes to another team. They also need another elite receiver to go with Rob Gronkowski. I like both Edelman and Amendola, but Brady needs one more consistent target to ensure success. The run game is coming along fine, I think, as long as Stevan Ridley can hold on to the football next year.
Those are just my thoughts on what the Patriots need to do to win another Super Bowl. Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.
Twitter - @ConorJF1016
@PatriotsLife
