A Little Blasphemy For Ya

File this one under "It'll never happen", but I was thinking, should the Patriots trade Tom Brady? The simple answer is no; he probably has three quality, top-flight years left in him and he gives the Patriots the best chance to win right now. However, there are several factors that must be considered, and I would pull the trigger on a deal in the near future if certain criteria were satisfied.


It is widely assumed that Brady and Peyton Manning are the two greatest quarterbacks of the current era (I would throw Drew Brees in there too, eventually even Aaron Rodgers maybe). The way that he was thrust into the spotlight after Mo Lewis' hit on Bledsoe and rallied the troops to the #2 seed, through the playoffs, and into Super Bowl-winning field goal range, he is more than deserving of his place in NFL lore (we can look forward to him hawking Sketchers Shape-Ups to the public somewhere down the line). However, the Dynasty Patriots were a balanced team, not afraid to pound it on the ground with Antowain Smith or Corey Dillon, hit those intermediate routes to Troy Brown or Deion Branch over the middle, and utilized the tight end efficiently and effectively. They had a suffocating defense that had the ability to make turnovers and take them to the house. They won playing smart, tough Patriots football.

Most importantly about Brady though, he was the epitome of the "Patriot Way". Many seasons he was awarded a prime parking space at Gillette Stadium for his commitment to the off-season conditioning program. The first one in the building and the last to leave, he served as a shining example to all his teammates and his leadership rubbed off on everyone. The Patriots were expected to win each and every Sunday (you remember 2007?), and under Brady's direction, they usually did.

Unfortunately, something has changed, and it is not all Brady's fault. Because of his excellent decision-making and pinpoint accuracy, the spread formation became the norm in Foxborough. Substituting the running game with the short passing game out of 4 to 5 WR sets, the Patriots took the NFL by storm in 2007, as the record books memorialize. But 18-1 should be considered a monumental failure, as the Lombardi Trophy is the true indicator of a successful season, not touchdown or scoring records. Belichick's fundamental shift in philosophy from a clock-controlling, physical offense to a pass happy JD McCoy 'Friday Night Lights' scheme led to so many victories that it has been here to stay. If Brady were to be dealt, this would have to be reversed.

An 11-5 record in 2008 was not good enough to earn a playoff berth, but this was accomplished with Matt Cassel starting for the first time since high school, not the Golden Boy. No longer being able to trust his quarterback to fling it all over the yard, Belichick was forced into a more balanced attack. Still, the Patriots finished '08 fifth in total offense, averaging 223 passing yards (12th in the NFL) and 142 rushing yards (6th) per game. Last year, the Patriots finished third in offensive yardage, but the split was much more lopsided, 120 rushing yards (12th in the NFL) and 277 passing yards (3rd) per. The lead back in '09, Laurence Maroney was limited to just 28 carries in 2008 for less than 100 yards due to injury. Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, LaMont Jordan and (LYM-favorite) BenJarvus Green-Ellis picked up the slack, with the committee totalling 1872 yards on 393 attempts for the year. In '09, with Maroney healthy for the majority of the year, he, Morris, Fred Taylor and Faulk combined for 1680 yards with only one fewer attempt. Stats aside, it clearly was difficult for the Patriots to run the ball in running situations last year, and the majority of the longer runs were made out of the shotgun formation on draw plays anyways. Lining up in multiple receiver sets every down is not how Brady won his Super Bowls, and if he were dealt, maybe the Patriots' coaching staff would return to what worked in the past.

The most distressing aspect of the post-injury Tom Brady is his new attitude toward life and football. Now a 32-year-old father of two, there are new things in his life that take up the time and energy he used to devote solely to football. I cannot blame the man for this, as football is just a game and family matters should always hold precedence. But fashion week in Paris cannot be a priority over the off-season conditioning program if he still is to be considered a 'team first' kind of leader. It seems the drive to be the best quarterback for the best team ever has been overtaken by complacency with past accomplishments. It is in this light that a Brady trade would make some sense.

Although somewhat trivial, there was one event last training camp that truly symbolized this transformation. Instead of wearing a Patriots cap during a post-practice interview, Tom donned a "TB12" lid, in an attempt to market his website and himself. Imagine Drew Bledsoe wearing a "DB11" cap if you can (on second thought, I would have bought a DB hat just 'cause of the comedic irony). Actions can speak louder than words, and the quarterback who was not individually announced prior to Super Bowl XXXVI (his coming out party) now places himself and his needs above the rest of the team. (Nightclubbing with a walking cast on in NYC with his supermodel girlfriend prior to the biggest game of his life also could be considered the beginning of the end of Super Patriot Brady.)

Tom is in the last year of his deal, and we all expect him to sign a lucrative deal sometime before the end of this season. With the labor unrest and the potential for a lockout still looming, I think this should be the last year for Brady in New England if the Patriots do not legitimately contend for the AFC title. Solid game-planning and physicality on both sides of the line are where football games are won and lost (see: the '09 New York Jets), not in ungodly statistics and stagnant one-dimensionalism. I ask the Patriots to rediscover that winning formula sooner rather than later, as Brady would still command a king's ransom in a trade.

Donovan McNabb was traded for a 2nd rounder and is only one year older than Brady, but I believe that there would be a bidding war for Brady's services if he were on the open market. He would bring instant legitimacy to a floundering franchise (think Arizona, Oakland, or San Fransisco) and put people in the seats (think Jacksonville or Cleveland). A needy team would likely give at the minimum a 1st and a 3rd round pick, maybe even more. With the defensive youth movement well underway, the Patriots need to find a legitimate halfback for their future in the draft, and then at that point Brady becomes expendable anyways, especially if 2011 is thrown out due to the labor situation. The best Patriot teams of the last decade (discounting the perfect storm of 2007) had a game manager at QB, and Belichick has had excellent success finding these players and putting them in a position to succeed (from Vinny Testaverde in Cleveland onward).



I say, let the team assembled play out 2010 and see what happens. If the early pronosticators are correct and the Jets and/or Dolphins outplay the Pats, I think the strategy should revert back to what worked, a young gun leading the team to the promised land against all odds. We need a quarterback to sip the Belichick syrup, breathe football, and lead by example. In summation, thanks for the memories Tom, but it worked better when you were more Mr. Patriot and less Mr. Hollywood.

Probably never happens, but it will in my Madden franchise.