It's What He Doesn't

So again Brady throws for about 200 yards, but has 2 touchdowns, no picks, and wins handily.  Getting a touchdown from a runback doesn't hurt, either, and of course the second string threw one, but I am again amazed at how much he can do while doing so little.  The point needs to be made again that it's not what he does that testifies to his greatness--because, as great as that is, plenty of people have done more, including Manning and Brees this year--but it's what he doesn't do that makes him surpass the greatness of Manning and, to a lesser extent, Brees.  Each of them have thrown over 15 picks since Brady threw his last one.  And, although they may have thrown more passes for more yards, Brady leads the league in touchdowns, which is what counts.

He doesn't get picked.  He doesn't fumble.  He doesn't take unnecessary sacks.  He doesn't absorb unnecessary hits.  He doesn't hold the ball too long.  He doesn't make ill-advised throws.  He doesn't force something to happen.  He doesn't say stupid things to the press (or to anyone, for all I know).  He doesn't talk garbage about his players or his coach.  He doesn't talk garbage about Randy Moss, who in turn talks about everybody.

This facet separates him from the traditional gunslingers.  Manning, Favre and Bledsoe are/were too much in love with their own arms.  They forced throws.  They took unnecessary hits and sacks.  (The fact that Favre did so more than anyone I've ever seen, and still came to play every week, is an even more unbelievable facet to his record.)  They threw tons of picks because of these things.  Brady doesn't.  That's what elevates him.