That's the thing about people claiming others are clutch though. It's always colored by the narrative they want to give a small sample of games rather than what reality probably is. It makes a good story and that's why people want to see it that way. In reality good teams that are better than the competition win more often, but they also usually have a pretty good chance of loosing anyhow, and that is often not taken into account. Sometimes things happen and teams win or lose despite being better or worse than whom they play and it's nothing more than that. It's even worse when it's a situation where one game will send you home for the season. People often forget that random variance plays a big part in most sports, and it's that and the players normal skill and talent more than magical pixie dust that makes people play better that makes the outcomes of them. The two best most complete teams were probably the Broncos and the Patriots this year, but like I said, in a series of only one game the better teams less times than not but still often lose. it's just the nature of the game and most sports. I think if you could set up a situation where somehow the Broncos or Patriots could play the Ravens ten times with pretty much all things at the start of their last games being equal the Broncos would win about 8 of them and the Patriots would have won 6 or 7.
About Flacco, unless Flacco can put up at least multiple seasons as one of the few of the greatest QBs in the game, he's not elite. Doing aright in a couple of games doesn't make one elite. (The same also goes for why Eli isn't elite.) If he's ever a top 5 QB for 3, 4, or 5 or more years then I might consider him that. At this point he's not even close and probably will never be. Throughout his career he's been lucky to be considered average so far.
I agree that some amount of random variance does play a role in everything, including sports...If you look at Brady, there was certainly unforseen and unpredictable circumstances such as being drafted by the Pats in the sixth round, the "Tuck Rule", and Drew Bledsoe's injury that helped propel Brady into the spotlight, but once he got there, he proved immediately that he was a special player destined for greatness. His reputation of being clutch is based on his plethora of accomplishments extending throughout his whole career, and not through just a small sample of games.
In Brady's career as a starter, the Patriots have won three Super Bowls and gone to five. He has also won two Super Bowl MVP awards, has been selected to eight Pro Bowls, and holds the NFL record for most touchdown passes in a single regular season. His playoff win total is the highest in NFL history. He also helped set the record for the longest consecutive win streak in NFL history with 21 straight wins over two seasons (2003–04), and in 2007 he led the Patriots to the first undefeated regular season since the institution of the 16-game schedule. In 2012, Brady became the first quarterback in NFL history to lead his team to 10 division titles.
Brady and Joe Montana are the only two players in NFL history to win the NFL Most Valuable Player and Super Bowl MVP awards multiple times. Brady and John Elway are the only two quarterbacks to lead their teams to five Super Bowls. He was also named the NFL MVP in 2007 and 2010 (becoming the first player to be unanimously chosen as MVP in the 2010 season) .In beating the Texans, Brady surpassed Joe Montana for the most postseason wins (17) for a quarterback in NFL history,
I agree there is no magical pixie dust that makes him clutch and one of the greatest QB's ever, but also his skill and talent are far beyond just normal. Plus he has the intangible traits of having great heart, and being a great leader of men. Those are two things that really can't be taught.
As far as the most complete teams, I agree Denver had a good team, but I think the most complete teams are San Fran and The Ravens...especially when it comes to their respective recieving cores and their defenses. True, the Ravens were lucky to win against Denver, But I think the Ravens have the better overall talent on offense and defense, Denver just had a better QB in Peyton Manning. But I think if you put Tom Brady on the Ravens, instead of Flacco ( I agree he and Eli are not yet elite), with Anquan Boldin, Torrey Smith, Ray Rice, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Suggs, Ngata and the rest, they would have CRUSHED Denver. That's why, like I said, Flacco was the wild card, and he made some big throws down the stretch that caught Denver somewhat off-gaurd.
IMO The Pats team is a joke compared to the talent they had during the championship years when Brady was surrounded by HOF caliber players such as Willie McGinest DE, Richard Seymour DT, Ty Law CB, Lawyer Milloy SS, 33 Kevin Faulk RB, David Givens R, David Patten, Tedy Bruschi ILB, Mike Vrabel OLB, Matt Light T, Asante Samuel, Rodney Harrison, etc....Now he has nothing on defense, no running game, and Welker and Brandon Lloyd are his top recievers...It's a miracle and testament to Brady's greatness that the Pats have even manged to do as well as they've done the last few years.
Likewise, IMO, San Fran has a pretty formidable roster on Offense with Kap, Crabtree, Vernon Davis, Randy Moss, Mario Manningham, etc..plus a rock solid defense.
On Denver, I like Moreno and Stokley and McGahee, when he was healthy....Dummervil and Porter are decent but Champ Bailey was getting repeatedly torched by Torrey Smith, and that pathetic defense on the last drive cost Denver the game.
As for a scenario where the Ravens would play Denver or the Pats best of 10. Defense wins championships IMO so I might say a 5/5 split with Denver if Flacco plays like he has in the last few games. I would probably go 5/5 with the Pats also, especially since over the past few years Tom, and the Pats, have had problems with tough defenses like the Giants and Ravens.
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