The NFL Thread 2012: Baltimore Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII

[amp316]

noname2200 said:

amp316 said:

noname2200 said:
Yeah...I'm with chocoloco regarding Brady. Proof, pudding, etc.

Although he's factually wrong about one thing. In 1985 the Broncos also went 11-5 and failed to make the playoffs. I think that's the only other time it's happened, though.

The thing is though that the team went from 16-0 to 11-5.  Five games is actually a pretty big difference.  It just doesn't sound it since 11-5 is still a good record.  Would you say that there is a difference between 10-6 and 5-11?

I see the point, but I also see going 16-0 as akin to having a perfect game in baseball: skill's a huge requirement, but luck plays a big factor too. If we reran that season with the exact same teams, I can easily see them dropping two or three games. They had, what, four or five games decided by three points or less? They also had roundly-terrible division opponents (4-12 Jets, 7-9 Bills, 1-15 Dolphins), which made for six more-or-less gimme games.

None of this is to detract from their accomplishment: it's near historic for a reason. But they were a bad break or lucky play away from dropping some of those games, just like many teams are on any given Sunday.

I understand that the schedule was weak, but people also say this about the '72 Dolphins.  It should take away from their record.  I would argue that the close games were decided by Brady since their defense wasn't that great. Trust me, I don't like Brady either, but I have to admit that he's a great QB.  I great QB that I laughed at when he lost the Super Bowl that year.