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When the Patriots are down late in the fourth quarter, Tom Brady grabs his helmet, turns to his offensive line, and channels another Goliath of mankind, Shannon Noll: “Let’s drive”.
Well, something like that.
John Elway will forever be synonymous with ‘The Drive’, following the 1986 AFC Championship Game, but Brady has delivered countless times in clutch situations.
The 40-year-young quarterback did it again on Monday morning against the Texans, which prompted me to reminisce on his greatest drives.
For the record, a drive is a single possession, so this exercise rules out a number of Brady’s best comeback performances.
Super Bowl LI
Down 28-3, Brady needed a miracle to claim his fifth Super Bowl ring. With help from Dont’a Hightower, the Patriots reduced the margin to 28-20 with 3:30 left in the game.
What followed was the most spectacular drive, which included a phenomenal acrobatic catch from Julian Edelman. On that drive, Brady went 6/9 for 90 yards, and crucially completed a two-point conversion to Danny Amendola.
The Patriots eventually prevailed 34-28 in overtime.
Defence 1.5/3
Distance 3/3
Difficulty 2/2
Importance 2/2
Rating 8.5/10
Super Bowl XLIX
The ‘Legion of Boom’ is one of the best defences in the history of the NFL. Although they were without Jeremy Lane, who broke his wrist in the first quarter, Brady still had Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor to overcome in the fourth term with his side trailing by ten.
Brady and the Patriots had 6:52 minutes to take the lead. Against that vaunted defence, the quarterback went 8/8 for 65 yards and the decisive touchdown to Edelman. We know it took a bit of help from Malcolm Butler but New England got there, 28-24.
Defence 3/3
Distance 2.5/3
Difficulty 1.5/2
Importance 2/2
Rating 9 /10
Super Bowl XXXVIII
The game was tied at 29 and 1:13 on the clock, after the Panthers had rallied back from an 11-point deficit.
Brady, having done this before in 2002, threw 47 yards on 4/5 attempts to leave veteran kicker Adam Vinatieri with a championship-winning field goal.
The Patriots won 32-29.
Defence 2/3
Distance 1.5/3
Difficulty 1/2
Importance 1.5/2
Rating 6/10
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Super Bowl XXVI
Where it all started.
The Pats jumped out to a 17-3 lead, before the Rams, known as ‘The Greatest Show on Turf’, tied it at 17 with 1:21 to play.
The inexperienced Brady should have played for overtime, but the comeback kid went for it, throwing for 55 yards, hitting five of six attempts to put his side in position to win the Super Bowl.
New Engalnd won 20-17.
Defence 2.5/3
Distance 1.5/3
Difficulty 1/2
Importance 1.5/2
Rating 6.5/10
2017 vs Houston
The Texans haven’t been in top form this season, but they still boast one of the most vaunted defences in the league.
On Monday, New England got the ball back with 2:24 on the clock, trailing 33-28. Prior to this drive the Pats were held to consecutive three-and-outs and were at long odds to find the end zone. But Brady completed five out of seven passes for 93 yards, including the game-winning touchdown to Brandin Cooks.
A holding penalty, a fumble and two third-and-long situations (18 and 12 yards) were other obstacles on this drive.
Defence 2/3
Distance 3/3
Difficulty 2/2
Importance 1/2
Rating 8/10
2013 vs New Orleans
Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker were injured, Aaron Hernandez had been stood down, and Brady’s form was average.
When the Saints landed in Foxborough they were undefeated, and it looked like staying that way when they went up 27-23 and then intercepted an out-of-sorts Brady.
Luckily for New England, the defence held firm and they got the ball back with 1:13 to play. The GOAT threw for 70 yards, including the walk-off game-winner to Kenbrell Thompkins with ten seconds remaining.
Defence 2/3
Distance 2.5/3
Difficulty 2/2
Importance 1/2
Rating 8/10
2001 vs Chargers
A 3-1 Chargers outfit landed in Foxborough without their starting quarterback, Drew Bledsoe, who had been injured two weeks earlier. Stepping in his place was a 24-year-old drafted in the seventh round – we know how that story goes.
San Diego led 26-19 when the Patriots got the ball at their own 40. Brady went to work with more than two minutes remaining, completing five of eight passes for 60 yards, including the game-tying touchdown to Jermaine Wiggins with 40 seconds remaining.
The game continued into overtime, where the home side forced a three-and-out, leaving Brady, not for the last time, to put Adam Vinatieri in field goal range.
Defence 2/3
Distance 2/3
Difficulty 1/2
Importance 1/2
Rating 6/10
2003 @ Denver
One of Brady’s greatest drives required astute game sense from coach Bill Belichick. Behind 24-23 with less than three minutes on the clock and backed up at their own one-yard line, punter Ken Walter deliberately let the ball go through the back of the end zone for a safety.
Although the play gave Denver a three-point lead, it allowed the Patriots more breathing room on their punt. The Broncos eventually gave the ball back to New England with 2:26 remaining.
Brady went to work from the 42-yard line, eventually finding David Givens for an 18-yard, game-winning touchdown.
Defence 2/3
Distance 2/3
Difficulty 1/2
Importance 1/2
Rating 6/10
2007 @ San Diego
The Chargers led 21-13 in the AFC divisional round, before a Reche Caldwell touchdown and two-point conversion tied the game at 21.
San Diego then went three-and-out, handing the keys to Brady, who drove 72 yards (68 through the air) to set-up Stephen Gostkowski’s game-winning field goal.
Defence 2/3
Distance 2.5/3
Difficulty 0.5/2
Importance 1.5/2
Rating 6.5/10
2015 @ Giants
Without much of their offensive line and missing Edelman, the Patriots didn’t look like staying undefeated when they fell behind 26-24 at MetLife Stadium.
Brady went 44 yards in just 1:41 minutes (with no timeouts) to set-up a 54-yard Gostkowski field goal. The quarterback was almost intercepted by rookie Landon Collins on the first play of the drive and converted a crucial fourth-and-10 snap to keep the game alive.
While the Giants weren’t much chop in 2015, coach Tom Coughlin has enjoyed much success against the Patriots.
Defence 1/3
Distance 1.5/3
Difficulty 1.5/2
Importance 1/2
Rating 5/10
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