To answer the headline: I hope so!

Brady should have another 3-4 years, but the end can come pretty quickly. Just look at his main rival, Peyton Manning.

No way! They will be the class of the AFC for another 3 years at least. Bellicek is too smart & drafts to well. Brady is a winner with fire. He will win again.

I'd argue that they're excellence ended in 2004, the last time they won a superbowl. I know they had a perfect regular season in there and made two more superbowls, but really they haven't won anything since before the Steelers beat the Seahawks. When you say it like that you realize just how long ago it was.

Bob, as you stated numerous times prior to last night, they are a team with many holes. In my opinion they were aided by a weaker than normal AFC playoff field which was depleted due to injuries to many of the top teams and that Baltimore choked their chances away in the title game.

I'm sure they'll continue to field respectable and competitive teams for a few more years, but much of the luster of the early 2000s is long gone.



They were a play from winning the Super Bowl --twice since 2004. If you don't want to call that near-excellence, but better call it a high level of success. --- Bob Smizik

I can not stand Brady.

I agree that he should not be immune to criticism; which it seems that he is.

However, for Prisco to intimate that he is a "choker" is ridiculous.

While I would love nothing more than for Brady and Bellichick to never win another game, I just love how writers' opinions shift based on the outcome of a game decided by a play or two.

If Manningham is out of bounds, the Patriots probably win and we'd be talking about how awesome Brady is and dynasty, etc., and how Eli isn't elite, yada yada yada.



You are so right, Jimmy. But not just writers. Everyone is influence with the W. It changes everything. It shouldn't. But it does. -- Bob Smizik

I believe the Pats have two picks each in the first two rounds. So unless one thinks Brady is on a quick downslide, and that the Pats will bungle the picks, then I say - no - they are not ending their "near-excellence" run.

It could be the Pats are closer to another run than are the Steelers.

And it looks like Todd Haley?


The Haley story was posted on this blog at 5:15 p.m. -- Bob Smizik

Brady's playoff record before Spygate: 12-2

After: 4-4.

If O'brien's head wasn't half-way to Happy Valley, the Pats would have won.

If Brady was in the NFC, I would say he played in his last Super Bowl. The AFC is a different story right now. I could easily see him back next year.

In "Unforgiven" the young shooter explains to the Eastwood character after shooting a man in cold blood: "He had it coming!" Eastwood responds, "We all got it coming, kid!"

Yeah, I think the Brady Bunch is about ready to cancel, never to be seen again until syndication (NFL Network).

Reminds of the Steelers painfully slow death in the early 80s. With the help of the safety (inter)net I updated my memories a little. In the strike interrupted '82 season the Steelers lead San Diego in a playoff game but Fouts has the Bolts rallying at the end. I'm in the end zone at 3Rivers where the Bolts are closing in. Fourth down. Pass imcomplete with seconds to go. Late flag. Jack Ham called for holding in the end zone. Years later, I see Jack at a function. "Did you do it?" He said,"Yep!"

Next year, Brashaw's last, he starts the last game at the Jets aftr missing most of the seasons...throws touchdowns to Calvin Sweeney and Greg Garrity in a last gasp. We never see him again as the Steelers and Stoudt lose at the Raiders.

RIP Patriots...too many free agents cut by other teams, too many projects like Chad Ochochinco.

Ridiculous.

Brady and the Pats will be a thorn in everyone's side for a little while longer...

Is anyone else catching the report that according to "sources" the Steelers will name Todd Haley as their new OC? Being reported on ESPN right now.

Maybe this is a tired subject, which is why it's not being discusses, but I'm not quite ready to let it go yet.

Brady and Bellicek during the period of time when we know that they were stealing signals - 3-0 in the big game.
Pats post-signal stealing - 0-2 in the Superbowl.

I think its a little early to say its the end of Brady and the Patriots. This is a team that still owns 2 #1 picks and I believe 2 #2 picks and will be 20 million UNDER the salary cap going into next season. I said UNDER not OVER like the Steelers.

I'd be willing to BET the house that while its always a goal to win the Super Bowl that I really don't believe many thought this was going to be the Patriots year. They have some good young players and can use their picks and cap room to solidify their weaknesses. Even without a running game your still faced with having to defend Welker, Gronkowski and Hernandez. And thats not to say the Patriots don't sign a RB or WR. They are a very dangerous team. They will be back.

And anyone that wants to say that the Patriots won their superbowls because of the stealing of signals is down right silly. Last time I checked they still won the right to get to the superbowl after being caught right? So we are going to assume they only stole signals for the superbowl? C'mon thats lame.

...
written by old galoot, February 06, 2012 - 07:36 PM
Brady's playoff record before Spygate: 12-2

After: 4-4.

Bob doesn't wanna touch that one.

Two first round picks, two second round picks, a third and fourth next year -- with one in every round in 2013.

They do have some good players on their roster -- although Belichick hasn't been as keen as in prior years in spotting projects and getting anything of value out of them (Ocho Cinco and Haynesworth) -- so you could draw the conclusion that he might blow some picks in the draft.

The Patriots have nosed over a bit -- but they've still got a couple of good years in them -- and will be Super Bowl contenders for a couple of years -- possibly three. Matt Light and another one of their O-linemen are in their mid 30's now -- and it'll be hard to replace them because they're so good.

I think Brady will retire soon, he has all the money he wants. Belichick will be gone as well. Its tough to win in the NFL and these guys won a lot. Losing the last two Super Bowls has to hurt and they have a lot of holes in their team.

Next season the Texans should be the favorites in the AFC then the Steelers and Ravens.

What an idiot...what team will be favored to win the AFC...how many NFL teams would take Bradyntomorrow for a first round pick or two. I'm no Brady fan and I'm delighted he lost...again. Sportswriters like Prisco just don't make the cut. A better question would be if you could trade even up BB and MT for TB and BB who would you take?

This just in the Arizona Cardinals did not offer Todd Haley a position. This will allow him to accept a position with the Steelers. MIKE SANDO BLOG ESPN

Why should the Texans be the favorite next year? They still have Matt Schaub as their starting QB. I'm not sure you should expect to see the Steelers in the top 3. They may struggle to make the playoffs next year based on their up coming salary cuts and they continue to get older and will still have a patch work OL.

I would say the order still goes:

1. Patriots - depending on what they do in FA and draft
2. Ravens
3. Dark horse - if a team like the Jets get Peyton??
4. Texans
5. Raiders - full year with Palmer
6. Bengals - 2 #1 picks this year - great seasons for their rookie QB and WR.

@RoyHobbs

Where ya been? I posted that about Haley 40 min ago.

Burghman.

The note about Hayley was about him being turned down by the Cards, I knew about Hayley at 5pm from colin dunlap on twitter

Tom Brady, won 3 SB's all while cheating. Nothing since they were caught. Those SB's should have been foreited. Brady for my purposes has yet to win a SB. Don't forget, they "won" those 3 with far less talent than their opponents, even in the playoff games leading up to the SB in most instances. Their defense was never stellar. They have a poor defense now, it was average then. They never had great receivers or tight ends, just average. Yet they won all those games, just to find out that it was all a farce. Brady's stats start in 2007. 2 SB appearances and 0 wins. I am not saying he isn't good, but I question the elite status now. And no, I wouldn't put him in the HOF based on the last 5 years. Like it or not, they cheated.

I, normally, would be neutral about the Pats future, but two recent events have completely turned me against that franchise. The first was reading that Tom and Gisele have built a 22,000 square-foot mansion in L.A. That's obscene. But more repugnant was seeing that among the guests in owner Robert Kraft's box were The Donald and Limbaugh.

They were a play from winning the Super Bowl --twice since 2004. If you don't want to call that near-excellence, but better call it a high level of success. --- Bob Smizik

I call it hypocritical. Interesting, when a fan says that the Steelers were 3 plays away from 9-7 (1 play per game against KC, Jax, and Indy), it was soundly mocked and scolded. Yet, when the Patriots were "1 play" from winning the Super Bowl, we should give them credit.

The same reasoning should be used. That one play didn't happen and the Patriots lost. They lost.

Let's get back to the hot topic of Bruce Arians retirement. Dismissal. Firing. Jumping ship. Ah, whatever. The media of Pittsburgh still needs an answer!!

Agreed ironcitydrinker. And if we look at it that way. We were 1 play away from beating Baltimore and if we had won we would have been the #1 seed, BB would've had an extra week of rest and the Steelers would've had a great shot of winning the SB. Or take away that 1 ankle injury to BB and a healthy BB could've won the superbowl regardless. But that 1 play counted and injuries are part of the game as well.

They're still good and for some reason, way under the salary cap.....they have a lot of draft choices too as usual.

Brady is obsessed with being considered better than and QB that ever lived, especially Montana and will play with fire in his belly until he drops if that's what it takes to win 5 SB's.

And his line keeps him very healthy....

The Jets are probably going after P. Manning. If that happens NE will not have an easy time winning their division. If Patriots have to play on the road in the playoffs, I don't see them going all the way to the Superbowl. Buffalo will only get better and so will Miami. In other words, NE has one more year to make a splash before the lean years set in.

Lasts nights game was a tale of 2 catches. The first by Manningham, who 9 out of 10 times WON'T make that catch. The other, Welker, WILL make that catch 9 out of 10 times. IF Welker had made that catch last night todays headlines are all abuzz about the Legend called Brady.

One play each way decided the game and now it's Brady, Belichek and the Patriots that are in decline.

I wouldn't be so quick to write their demise, if they have shown themselves to be anything it's certainly their resilience.

I'm no Patriot fan but they were the only AFC team playing last night and they certainly had every opportunity to win last night as well.

I don't know if the rides over, but if the team they would face in their next big dance is the Giants, don't get on the flight. Not worth the heartbreak:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9OEUEf0bwU

Actually the Texans are the 4th choice to win the AFC next year. The Patriots are the AFC (and Super Bowl) favorite, followed by the Steelers and Chargers.

Is the ride over for Brady's Patriots?

Being that they cant cheat anymore, yes the ride is over.

Asterisks for all!!!!!

I'm gonna praise Tom Brady.
Oh God i hate saying that but i guess it's easier knowing he still has 3 rings and not 4.
fact is he could easily have 5 by now.
First off, even with the Spygate stuff, If it's true that D coordinators change their signals yearly then it probably only affected some reg season divisional rematches vs terrible opponents in the AFC East.
As for playoff rematches within in the same season such as vs the Colts and Steelers.
Spygate had nothing to do with the NE defenses dominating the Colts and Steelers, it only relates to the Pats offense vs the opposing defense.
Even though Brady lit up the # 1 defense of 2004 after that same defense dominated him in the reg. season, namely the Steelers. Ben being a rookie and throwing 2 picks, one for a TD, in the first half certainly didn't help.
As for the individual Pats Sb wins, they were vs NFC teams NE didn't play those same reg. seasons.
Also, if Spygate was so effective then NE should have won SBs in 2005 and 2006.
Brady's stats have actually improved since the spygate era and he has still barely lost 2 SBs since then as well.
He lead what appeared to be the game winning drive in SB XLII but left too much time on the clock and had Wes Welker drop a pass that could ahve very easily have been the game clinching drive in XLVI.

Vs the Giants in 2 SBs Brady has had to face great defenses but has still been position to win.
He lead a 96 and 79 yd TD drives vs that defense in XLVI.
Tom Brady isn't Montana but he has still taken his team to 1 more SB in a now tie with Elway.
That's darn good company.

P.S. Bradshaw in 6 years and back to back twice may never be touched.

I meant Bradshaw FOUR in 6 years and back to back twice

I think Reiter is a little premature in writing the Pat's obituary at this point. Any team with Bill Belichick as the head coach, and Tom Brady as the QB, even at this stage of his career, is anything but near the end of the line.

I would expect Belichick to plug a few pieces in here and there around Brady, and see the Pats return next season as a very good football team. Just as the Steelers are able to be competitive every year, so are the Pats.

I doubt that the ride is over just yet for New England, there is still some fuel in the tank.

Agreed...the season is made of plays. Whether or not your team makes them. They did, and went 12-4, even though it was evident they were not a 12-4 caliber team, esp. losing to the worst QB in the NFL.

Just think if they could have pulled that upset, they could have been Champions.


Ah wishful thinking...

*t seems as if there are others echoing my sentiments from yesterday. Perhaps my view on Brady isn't as far-fetched as some here said.

Brady's playoff record before Spygate: 12-2
After: 4-4.

I dislike the Patriots but I think the difference in the Pats playoff record has more to do with their defense. Look at the players on that defense prior to 2005 compared to today? Ty Law, Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel, Ted Bruschi, Richard Seymore. The Pats won those Super Bowls more because of their defense, not Brady.

And did spygate really cost the Steelers in the 2004 AFC Championship game? Ben was a rookie and he hit a wall. Flacco and Sanchez both lost AFC title games as rookies. There is a reason for that. Steelers were not playing their best football in the playoffs. They were very fortunate to beat the Jets in the divisional round.

Is the ride over? In that division? No way, unless the Jets get Peyton Manning and he's okay enough to make a run.

But until the Jets get a QB, the Patriots own that division. And if you win the division, no matter what your record is, anything can happen in the playoffs (see the Giants this year).

written by Burghman28, February 06, 2012 - 08:56 PM

Why should the Texans be the favorite next year? They still have Matt Schaub as their starting QB. I'm not sure you should expect to see the Steelers in the top 3. They may struggle to make the playoffs next year based on their up coming salary cuts and they continue to get older and will still have a patch work OL.

Las Vegas doesn't agree. ESPN reported last night that the current odds to win next year's Super Bowl are:

1. New England 5-1

2. Green Bay 11-2

3. Pittsburgh 6-1

3. Philadelphia 6-1

I agree the Patriots should give back their Super Bowl trophies for cheating. They will do it as soon as the Steroid Steelers give back their four in the 70's.

pricepittsburgh

The tape during the practices that were used by spygate mainly involved the opposing team offense. Not the defense. He was giving advantage to NE defense by understanding the offensive formations and what they run out of them. Do you recall how after that game, Hines Ward said that it seemed like they knew every route they were running? Turns out it wasn't coincidence. And do you remember how the investigation found out that they were doing some of this stuff in the very week leading up to their games? All 3 of their SB's are null and void.

The problem with the Patriots isn't Brady so much. Their defense sucks big time. If they plan to compete next year, they seriously need to get some D.

The Pats certainly have not been unsuccessful since 2004. They are merely one of the 27 teams who have not won a Super Bowl in that time. There have only been 5 teams that have won over that span. They have been to two Super Bowls, had reasonable shots at winning both, and had an undefeated season in that span. I'd have to rank them as the most successful of the non-Super Bowl winners of that span. Ranking 6th out of 32 teams is not too bad.

Nor does this prove that they only won Super Bowls by cheating. All it proves is that it's tough to win a Super Bowl. It proves that they just haven't been quite good enough to get the job done. They have made the playoffs consistently during that time, and have been at or near the top of the AFC in terms of their record for much of that time. I'd say the Pats have been a pretty successful franchise, even during this time without a Super Bowl. Ask fans in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, or Washington if they think the Pats have had a successful franchise for the last 7 years.

The problem is not Tom Brady. Brady is still the best quarterback in the NFL. People talk about Montana being the best (in fact I believe he is) but how many of the current Patriots could have started for the 49er teams Montana played on? Brady has lifted a mediocre team by his excellence alone.

If Brady had the Steeler's talent on defense, the Pats would be unbeatable. If he had actual running backs, instead of smurfs, the Patriots would be unbeatable. If he had receivers who could stretch the field with their speed the Patriots would be unbeatable.

I fully expect the Patriots to be even better next year as Belichick shores up the weaknesses his team has. The Steelers will have to keep up or next year it will be the Patriots in the Super Bowl again.

No, it is wishful thinking that Tom Brady is on the downside of his career. Unlike Ben, he doesn't take a lot of big hits. The Steelers are going to have to contend with the best quarterback in the league for many years to come.

I agree the Patriots should give back their Super Bowl trophies for cheating. They will do it as soon as the Steroid Steelers give back their four in the 70's.

Sorry, that's a pathetic argument. Spygate was against the rules and thus cheating. Steroids were not a banned substance in the 70's. And if you don't think every team had players that used steriods you are not a student of the history of the NFL. Heck, even ESPN's Mike Golic admitted that he used steroids in the 80's and it was common knowledge that lots of players used them. So you'd have to take away evey team's SB titles in the 70's and 80's.

First off, Brady left the podium with his wife, Gisele, who whispered something in his ear and then they kissed. If that's the prize for losing the Super Bowl and having your dynasty end....SIGN ME UP!

So even with a loss, it was still a pretty darn good day to be Tom Brady.

As alluded to above, a single play dramatically changes what people think and say and write about you.

If New England's kicker was Scott Norwood or Vanderjagt instead of Vinatieri, then how are Brady and Bellichick viewed today? Probably a lot like Marv Levy and Jim Kelly.

Every Super Bowl Brady won was decided by a kick from Vinatieri, and each Super Bowl lost has been decided by a great throw and catch by the NYG.

Vinatieri's kicks did not change how Brady played in those three wins anymore than David Tyree and Mario Manningham's catches did on the flip side.

Yet, what a powerful change in how Brady is talked about because of each.