Obviously, this is insane and difficult to comprehend. The 32 games are equivalent to two full regular-season campaigns, which, I mean, c'mon man. Brady's AFC East QB counterparts -- Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill and Tyrod Taylor -- have a combined 23 years of NFL experience and zero playoff starts. The AFC East is Nunes-Rousey. You figure out who's who.
Brady came into the league in 2000 and took over the starting job early in 2001. The Pats have won the AFC East every season since but two, and in one of those years (2008) Brady tore his ACL in Week 1.
As you might expect, Brady's numbers in those two seasons worth of playoff affairs back up the growing sentiment that he is the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
He has completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 7957 yards, 56 touchdowns, 28 interceptions and an 88.0 passer rating. The Patriots are 22-9 in those 31 games. His numbers are somewhat depressed by a few stinkers along the way -- last season's AFC title game loss to the Broncos being one notable example -- but this is to be expected against an elevated level of competition. Prior to that Broncos game, Brady had posted four consecutive playoff games with a passer rating of 99 or higher.
This weekend, Brady will face the Texans for the second time in his playoff history. His last January matchup against Houston was among his best -- a 344-yard, three-touchdown, zero turnover effort in a 41-28 New England win during the 2012 postseason.
Put it all together, and it helps to explain why Bill Belichick has been so stressed out during the Patriots' bye week ...
