Everyone talks about Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning as if he’s a robot. The man knows his offense so well he doesn’t seem to need coaches. It’s a well-deserved reputation for one of the all-time greats.
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But while no one would ever — and we mean ever — call Manning’s opponent this weekend, New England’s Tom Brady, underrated, is it also possible the floppy-haired superstar is of the same ilk?
“I can’t overstate how smart [Brady] is,” NBC football analyst — and former Colts coach — Tony Dungy insists. “When we played against him, you couldn’t show him defenses that you used in the past. You couldn’t show him pre-snap [formations]. We worked on disguising so much because if he got any hint what you’re in, he’s going to pick you apart.”
That sounds an awful lot like what NFL coaches say about Manning every week. Brady has three Super Bowl rings, but adjectives like “smart” aren’t often thrown his way. Maybe it’s his laid-back California cool, his unkempt hair or his supermodel wife. Maybe he just needs to gesticulate more at the line of scrimmage. Whatever his reputation, Brady — with fewer weapons and two years removed from major knee surgery — is plugging along on another Super Bowl contending team. The Patriots (7-2) host the Colts (6-3) and Jets (7-2) two of the next three weeks.
