New England Patriots: Tom Brady should lead NFL’s top 100 list
By Laith Malhas
New England Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady, should be atop the NFL’s top-100 players list.
The New England Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady came just short of winning his sixth Super Bowl title last season, but that should not keep him from claiming the number one spot on the top 100 list.
The NFL top 100 players list is a comprehensive countdown of the best players in the league chosen by their peers. NFL Network releases the vaunted list of the top-tier players in the NFL based on their performance during the season.
A plethora of players in the league has a shot at the number one spot on this list. However, the most deserving player for the 2018 season is none other than the New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
Despite a tough loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII the Patriots were able to reach their eighth Super Bowl appearance with Brady at the helm.
The regular season was nothing short of amazing for the veteran quarterback who seems to be winning the battle against father time.
At age 40, Brady led the Patriots to a 13-3 record for 1st place in the AFC. He guided the offense to key regular-season victories over the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos.
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Brady tallied 4,577 yards on the season and threw for 32 touchdowns to only eight interceptions, ending the season with a passer rating of 102.8.
He reset the standard of what a star quarterback is able to do at the age of 40. His MVP caliber performances earned him his third overall for his career, also setting an NFL record for most yards in a single season by a quarterback at age 40 or older.
Entering the postseason the Patriots were favorites to reach the Super Bowl and started off with a bang against the Tennesse Titans.
Brady led the Patriots to a 35-14 drubbing of the young upstart team by throwing for 337 yards and registering three touchdowns, punching the Patriots ticket to another AFC championship game, their seventh straight.
Next up were the Jacksonville Jaguars, who were a menacing force on defense all year, striking fear into NFL offenses and quarterbacks alike.
The Patriots possessed the top ranking offense in yards, however, their defense was mediocre and had displayed glaring weaknesses throughout the season.
New England’s defense ranked an abysmal 30th place in passing yards and 20th against the rush. Nevertheless, they took fifth place on the scoring defense list due to their bend but don’t break style of defense.
Besides the woes on the defensive end, the Patriots had a crisis to deal with leading up to the AFC championship game.
Brady had endured a cut on his throwing hand during practice after it was caught in a teammates helmet.
Considering the nature of the injury many analysts and experts thought the cut would hinder Brady’s performance against one of the top defenses in the NFL.
Motivated to silence his critics Brady led the offense to another fourth-quarter comeback by outscoring the Jaguars 14-3 in the fourth quarter on his way to 290 yards and two touchdowns, sending the Patriots to a record eighth Super Bowl appearance.
The final part of my case for Brady is a bit nuanced due to the outcome of the Super Bowl. Ultimately, the win would have been the nail in the coffin to thrust Brady to the top.
Considering that the Patriots defense gave up 41 points in the game, Brady did have a good performance.
Despite his own blunder late in the fourth quarter when he fumbled the football leaving 2:09 on the clock, Brady threw for 505 yards plus three touchdowns, giving the Eagles defense fits throughout the game.
Another factor was the absence of the Patriots best defender in the backfield Malcolm Butler.
Coach Bill Belichick decided not to play his cornerback after questionable events that occurred leading up to the game.
Looking back at the totality of the season it is apparent that Brady sustained a peak level of productivity throughout the regular season.
Continuing his performance into the playoffs recording 1,132 yards, eight touchdowns to no interceptions, and a 108.6 passer rating through three games.
Let us know what you think, share your pick for the top spot on the list and let us know why.
Next: 10 Greatest Quarterbacks In Patriots' Franchise History
Keep up with the latest updates on the Top 100 list through the NFL Network.