[molson]

Obviously the Patriots would be 0-16 every year if not for the refs, but I do find these Brady stats pretty amazing:

Brady is 6-2 in the postseason, and 19-9 overall, when he throws 50+ passes in a game. That's insanity. Here's the W/L of other good-to-great QBs when they throw 50+ passes in a game:

Brees: 4-15
Manning: 4-12
Flacco: 3-10
Stafford: 1-11
Eli Manning: 3-8
Carson Palmer: 1-8
Big Ben: 3-5

In fact, only twice in NFL history has a QB thrown 50+ passes in the postseason and had a QB rating over 100. Both times it was Tom Brady.

Brady is now 26-9 in the postseason. For perspective, the Browns are 26-94 in their last 120 regular-season games.

Brady is 17 games above .500 in the playoffs. No other quarterback has 17 playoff wins total.

And for me, the most impressive is 17 Brady seasons, 12 AFC Championship games.

And I'm as weirded out by TB12 and Alex Guerrero as everyone else, but...on the other hand, Brady is clearly the most effective 40+ years old QB in NFL history. And it's not close. So maybe they're on to something.

Even though the Patriots and Patriots fans are kind of used to championships at this point, I lived through enough lean years as a fan that the the big games still matter, so I think it's always worth going all out for just a chance at one more championship. So I'm cool with the team choosing to ride the Brady train, even if they lose next week, or in the Super Bowl, rather than casting him aside and running with Jimmy G.

Brady will fall to earth next week, or next year, or the year after that, or the year after that, and the haters will celebrate, but they'll never be able to take away all the accomplishments or all the ridiculous sports fandom joy he has given to Patriots fans.

And I loved Magic, and Jeter, even though they always beat my teams, so I'm glad I wasn't cursed by the saltiness so many people around me have always had, trolling and trying to take Pats fans down a little, every time they won a big game.