The Pats had the 28th ranked defense.The Pats were supposed to have a vaunted ground game this year, you may want to add that to your list.
Lets look a little deeper.
Montana and Brady both went to 7 Division championship games. Montana went 4-3. Brady went 5-2.
Lets look at the running games. Brady never had a premiere running back. Montana had Roger Craig among others.
Free agency and the salary cap. Did Montana ever lose Asante Samuel, Mike Vrable or have to release Lawyer Milloy due to the salary cap? Nope. The 49ers got to keep Ronnie Lott out there year in and year out.
This year Brady may lose Sebastian Vollmer and Wes Welker. San Francisco just had to reach into Eddie Debartolos deep pockets to keep their team together.
I wonder if Montana ever coughed up an 18 point lead....
Montana won all 4 of his Super Bowls and would've won at least one more had he stayed with the Niners. Brady lost his last two, both of which the Patriots were favored in.
See above -- re: Brady and the Pats losing their last two Super Bowls, both of which they were favored in. Funny how you drag out the "but...but...we lost defensive players!" argument now while their defense was obviously at least decent enough to get them to the SB (particularly SB 42).
You conveniently overlook that the passing game was much harder in Montana's day than it is today. These days, if you barely brush a receiver with your hand, you get a 15 yard gift. Back in his day, much of the contact went uncalled. Additionally, Brady has not faced competition like Montana has faced. Brady has played in a weak division his entire career and outside of the Colts and Steelers, didn't face the powers that Montana faced.
But keep trying to justify your delusions -- it is great entertainment.
And as to taking the Pats to the Super Bowl with the 25th ranked defense and to division championship with the 28th best defense, well, your comment proves my point. That the great Brady could take a team to the championship literally on his own.
The Pats had the 28th ranked defense.
Wrong. The AFC has none of the best teams. AFC championship determines who will lose the super bowl. Just ask the Bills....
As to weaker competition, that makes no sense. When you get to the playoffs you play the best teams. Period.
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People who say that you can't compare Brady to Montana since the game has changed so much in regards to passing need to accept the game has changed even more with free agency and the salary cap.
Its far, far harder to get to the division championship, Super Bowl and to win a title today.
Look at how far ahead Brady is compared to the other quarterbacks who played under the same rules. No one comes close. Yet a few years after Montana, Elway got to and won 4 Super Bowls. And After that has any qb even won three? Or gotten to the Super Bowl four times?
And Elway only got to the Super Bowl once playing under anything like todays rules.
The NFL has gone to greater lenghths to ensure parity than it has even to help the passing game.
People who say that you can't compare Brady to Montana since the game has changed so much in regards to passing need to accept the game has changed even more with free agency and the salary cap.
Its far, far harder to get to the division championship, Super Bowl and to win a title today.
Look at how far ahead Brady is compared to the other quarterbacks who played under the same rules. No one comes close. Yet a few years after Montana, Elway got to and won 4 Super Bowls. And Jim Kelly got to 4 Super Bowls And After that has any qb even won three? Or gotten to the Super Bowl four times?
And Elway only got to the Super Bowl once playing under anything like todays rules.
You could not argue that it was easy to get to mulitple Super Bowls when Montana was playing just by the number of QB's who got to the same number of Super Bows as Montana.
The NFL has gone to greater lenghths to ensure parity than it has even to help the passing game.
No cameras, no rings.
SYSTEMS make the skill players in the NFL.
QBs, WRs, even RBs to some extent.
The Patriots have an outstanding system.
The Packers have an outstanding system.
The 49ers of old (and new it seems too) had an outstanding system.
That is how you get dynasties. That is how you get back to back HoF caliber QBs. That is how you get WR cores that it doesn't seem to matter who is out running the patterns, they all put up pro-bowl numbers.
Brady is a great quarterback. Favre was a great QB. Rodgers is a great QB. Montana was a great QB. Young was a great QB. But it's their SYSTEMS that they played in that made them some of the greatest of all time.
Yeah, I mistyped Elways Super Bowl wins with appearances, etc because I was also thinking of Jim Kelly.
Still, my reasoning is flawless.
Under the Montana rules Elway, Montana and Kelly got to more than 3 Super Bowls. Under the Brady rules only Brady has got there more than twice.
SYSTEMS make the skill players in the NFL.
QBs, WRs, even RBs to some extent.
The Patriots have an outstanding system.
The Packers have an outstanding system.
The 49ers of old (and new it seems too) had an outstanding system.
That is how you get dynasties. That is how you get back to back HoF caliber QBs. That is how you get WR cores that it doesn't seem to matter who is out running the patterns, they all put up pro-bowl numbers.
Brady is a great quarterback. Favre was a great QB. Rodgers is a great QB. Montana was a great QB. Young was a great QB. But it's their SYSTEMS that they played in that made them some of the greatest of all time.
Since free agency and the salary cap has any quarterback other than Brady made it to even three Super Bowls?
That's why Brady is the Greatest qb ever.
Yeah, I mistyped Elways Super Bowl wins with appearances, etc because I was also thinking of Jim Kelly.
Still, my reasoning is flawless.
Under the Montana rules Elway, Montana and Kelly got to more than 3 Super Bowls. Under the Brady rules only Brady has got there more than twice.
Since free agency and the salary cap has any quarterback other than Brady made it to even three Super Bowls?
That's why Brady is the Greatest qb ever.
lol
Seeing the Pats get humiliated on their own field in front of their own fans was a joy to watch. I don't even care who wins the SB.