The Patriots must have a flaw, so let's consider one: Are they too good? Specifically, too good at passing? Tom Brady finished with a league-leading 4,806 passing yards, and for long stretches, New England's aerial attack seemed unstoppable even against solid defenses. Yet impressive as the Flying Elvii passing game was, the numbers posted were not unprecedented. In 2004, Daunte Culpepper recorded 4,717 passing yards. In 2002, Rich Gannon led the league with 4,689 passing yards. In 2001, Kurt Warner had 4,830 passing yards. In 1984, Dan Marino led the league with 5,082 passing yards. In 1981, Dan Fouts compiled 4,802 passing yards. Culpepper, Gannon, Warner, Marino, Fouts -- of all these quarterbacks with Brady-like performance, none went on to win the Super Bowl that season.
In fact, the NFL's passing yardage leader has never gone on to win the Super Bowl in the same season. For XLII consecutive years, the passing yardage leader has not been the quarterback to hoist the trophy as the Super Bowl concludes. Never. Maybe this year's Patriots will be the exception. But with passing-yardage leaders 0-for-41 at winning the Super Bowl, the odds seem to be against Brady.
