Tag Archives: Tom Brady

Tebow vs. Brady: A Matchup of Will

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I received a chain email the other day.  Usually, it’s my mom thinking I’m interested in seeing a bulldog ride a skateboard on YouTube, but this time it was about none other than Tim Tebow.  Basically, it was a story about how Tim’s mother Pam had medical problems during her pregnancy, and doctors recommended an abortion.  Now, normally I’d rather watch the skateboarding dog, but I think the concept of an abortion is an interesting parallel to Tebow’s career and development.  After fascinating us during his time at Florida, we were done with him.  Sure, we were interested in where he landed, and if he actually got to play, but nobody actually expected him to be in the second round of the playoffs.  We always wonder how athletes that just seem to win do it.  In general, it’s a reaction.  A reaction to the naysayers convincing the world that they’re run of success is simply up.  It’s a cliché that rings true.  The longer we expect the worst from Tebow, the more he’ll continue to surprise us.  SportsCenter ran a whole program on Tebow the other day, and led it off by demonstrating how Tom Brady’s first playoff game had similar numbers to Tebow’s first playoff game (both very good fantasy football games).  They are by no means similar.  Brady has always had form.  Religion wasn’t a factor.

But what is similar about the two sensations is doubt, skepticism and what makes them fight.  Maybe even more in Brady’s case. At Michigan, he began seventh on the depth chart.  He fought and eventually got the starting job.  He won the Citrus and Orange bowl.  He finished with a completion percentage of about 60 percent.  Apparently, his success was completely missed by every scout in the country, because he ended up getting drafted in the 6th round.  Unlike Tebow, Brady’s struggles were mostly internal, because the world didn’t know his story until he was successful.  Even after Drew Bledsoe got injured (a huge thanks to the Jets for that from a Pats fan) Brady was criticized.  His playoff win against the Raiders was neutralized about the controversy of the “tuck rule.”  Eventually the Patriots were the largest Super Bowl underdogs of all time, and Brady once again reacted to the lack of expectations with focus and strength. Both the 2001 Patriots and 2011 Broncos mostly relied on defense and good special teams.  Commentators and analysts can’t preach enough that the Broncos success is, in most part, due to the parts of the team other than Tebow.  But the truth that everybody who watched the Steelers game last week or the Raiders game in 2001 knows is that whatever the numbers are, these teams would be mediocre without the magic from their resilient quarterbacks.  And I can guarantee that even ten years after his first Super Bowl, Brady will come on the field Sunday with the same chip on his shoulder that he did in that snowy battle with the Raiders; and Tebow wouldn’t want it any other way. Expect hug fantasy points from both quarterbacks, something to think about when picking your FanSaloon Fantasy Football Playoff Team.

Fantasy Football Playoffs Wild Card Weekend Recap

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There is always at least one surprise on Wild Card weekend!

This time it was the heavily favored Pittsburgh Steelers who were the upset victims at the hands of Tim Tebowand the drama filled Denver Broncos. Yes, it’s the same Tebow that was racking up fantasy points most of the fantasy football season, and the one who everyone (including myself) started to doubt after the last 3 losses and some awful performances to end the regular season.

The question now is, can you trust him in the next round? Fantasy owners who were gutsy enough to pick him in last week’s fantasy football playoff leagues have no choice but to play him moving forward. But now that the new FanSaloon.com Fantasy Football Playoff Leagues have been posted, do you have the testicular fortitude to roll the dice with him this week?

Tebow’s 316 yards (yes, he threw for 3:16 yards!) and 3 touchdowns helped him score ridiculous fantasy points in the wild card round of the NFL Playoffs, but he wasn’t picked in most fantasy football lineups. Now he must head to New England to face Tom Bradyand the New England Patriots in a contest that will heavily favor the home team. This makes Tebow Time a huge risk in the divisional round. So unless you were brave enough to pick Tebow in your fantasy football playoff league, it’s tough to advise picking him in any new fantasy leagues you enter this week, especially with MVP candidates like Brady, Aaron Rodgersand Drew Brees still remaining.

Decisions like this are what makes the FanSaloon.com Fantasy Football Playoff Leagues so fun…and challenging. Of course, there were many fantasy owners out there that made some great choices to start their fantasy football playoff leagues. Here are some fantasy players that shined over wild card weekend and are moving on to the divisional round:

Arian Foster, RB, Texans (30.2 fantasy points) – Foster was one of the top running backs in fantasy football this season. He led all running backs over the weekend in fantasy points. He had 162 total yards from scrimmage and 2 touchdowns in a win over the Bengals.

Darren Sproles, RB, Saints (20.5 fantasy points) – Sproles could be the biggest sleeper pick in the fantasy football playoff leagues. He gained 85 total yards from scrimmage and had 2 touchdowns in a win over the Lions. Sproles, who is coming off his best fantasy season ever, remains an attractive option for those who are entering new fantasy football playoff leagues this week.

Demaryius Thomas, WR, Broncos (26.4 fantasy points) – Thomas had a huge game against the Steel Curtain, going for an outrageous 204 receiving yards and one touchdown in the surprising win. But is Thomas worth picking against an awful Patriots pass defense, even if the Broncos are major underdogs? I’d pick Wes Welker or Jordy Nelson first, but Thomas could become a solid one-week option considering his affordable price. And again, who knows how much magic Tebow has left!

Jimmy Graham, TE, Saints (11.5 fantasy points) – It was a pretty safe pick that Graham would be the top-scoring tight end in the first round of the fantasy football playoff leagues. He posted 55 receiving yards and one touchdown in the win over Detroit. If you picked Graham, nice work! If you didn’t, the safe tight end picks entering the new leagues posted this week would be Graham or Rob Gronkowski.

Texans Defense (23 fantasy points) – The Texans defense was on point against the Bengals, posting 4 sacks, 3 interceptions and a touchdown on a 29-yard interception return by J.J. Watt. If you picked them to start the playoffs, they probably paid off, however picking them entering the new leagues would be gutsy considering they are matched-up against the Ravens and will probably lose.

Don’t forget! It’s your last chance to enter into FanSaloon.com Fantasy Football Playoff Leagues. Pick your FREE team now before it’s too late!

Patriots and Giants Must Wins

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It’s a weird Sunday.  The games aren’t great.  The true standouts are on Sunday and Monday night.  This afternoon though, is for proving yourself.  The two teams with the most to prove are the Giants and Patriots.  The Giants are coming off of a huge win vs. a scared Cowboy team.  They lead the NFC East, but with the Cowboy’s win last night and a Dallas-NY matchup, they need to win today.  They play at home, against a 4-9 Redskins team.  It should be an easy win.  But as the Patriots showed vs. Washington last week, there is no easy win.  The Giants are a mediocre 3-3 at home, leaving questions as to how they handle the success of the top spot.  There in a position to control their own destiny, and have shown a clutch and resilient attitude late in important games, especially from Eli.  The question is how they handle the small things, the easy wins.  It won’t be an easy game, but if the Giants want a chance to show their tenacity against Dallas, they must win.

The Patriots are just an odd team.  There identity is an offensive juggernaut, yet the defense seems to be making the game saving, big last plays in the game.  They’ve also lost a couple.  They absolutely and unequivocally need a win today.  This Denver team is probably the worst in the AFC playoff picture and a team the Patriots are likely to see at some point in the post-season.  A classic Brady performance and solid defense would give the Patriots the momentum of being the first to stop Tebow and his disciples.  It’d be a nice title to have for an older squad.  Both the Patriots and Giants are veteran squads, plagued by injuries.  But today, on a late Sunday in the season, they can show what they have for 10 years.  They can both show there better then almost everybody else.

The New England Patriots of Old

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The New England Patriots have an odd sports syndrome.  Symptoms are associating a team’s identity and reputation with a passed shell of themselves.  It’s been 10 years since the Patriots won their first of three Super Bowls in a four-year span.  It had been a mediocre franchise stamped with the melancholy Drew Bledsoe and the 1997 Super Bowl loss to the Green Bay Packers.  Out of the blue, a young Michigan quarterback selected with the 199th pick in the 2000 NFL draft came into the game after a dirty hit on Drew Bledsoe, ironically, from the New York Jets.  Much of the football world now knows Brady for his inflated stats and incredible accuracy and poise.  The truth is, he made his impact by being the man.  In the same fashion as Montana, Unitas, and Elway, Brady just found ways to win important games and Super Bowls.  The problem is, it’s been 7 years since the Patriots won the Super Bowl.

They are painfully competitive every year, and almost always seem to be the favorites at some point in the season.  But people forget how they won their rings.  In 2001, consistency amongst a tumultuous quarterback change was the key.  They were the 6th ranked offense and defense.  In 3 playoff games, they gave up 47 points.  One of those teams was the Super Bowl matchup with the Rams’ prophetic offense that would fit in so perfectly with today’s league.  So often now, we think of the Patriots identity as an offensive powerhouse that must outscore their opponent.  The truth is, the foundation of Patriots football is doing a good enough job on defense to give Tom Brady the chance to work his late game heroics.  Having Bill Belichick didn’t hurt either.  The Pats are once again competitive, and still have a dominant quarterback and genius coach, but it will be a true challenge for Belichick to find a way for his defense to come up clutch.