NFL

Where Does This Season Rank for Tom Brady?

The 2014 season wasn't always kind to Tom Brady, but in typical fashion, he still finished on top. How does it compare to his other seasons in the NFL?

After a Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, some members of the media wanted Tom Brady benched. It was a crazy sentiment, especially looking back, but the numbers, to be fair, were pretty clear -- Brady had the fourth lowest Passing Net Expected Points (NEP) total in the entire league, and his offense was struggling to score points.

Everything turned around by Week 17, and Brady ended the year ranked fifth in Passing NEP. All was right in the world.

Brady's turnaround was impressive, but where does his season rank when compared to every other year of his career?

Well, fortunately our numbers can answer that.

The chart below shows Brady's numbers since becoming a starter in 2001, sorted by Passing Net Expected Points.

Passing NEPPassing NEP per Drop BackSuccess Rate
2007259.400.4358.93%
2011213.430.3357.08%
2012186.790.2854.44%
2010152.660.3052.80%
2009137.160.2454.39%
2014123.690.2050.17%
2005100.730.1849.64%
2004100.600.2049.80%
201368.710.1047.08%
200659.340.1147.97%
200329.170.0545.70%
200119.430.0446.92%
200213.800.0246.28%

As you can see, our numbers pegged Brady's 2014 campaign as the sixth best one of his career, better than what we saw from him in 2013. On a per drop back basis, Brady was twice as efficient as he was last year, too.

What's most impressive is that this Passing NEP total (123.69) came after compiling -12.15 Passing Net Expected Points through four weeks. After that point, Brady averaged 9.30 Passing NEP per game -- extrapolated over 16 games, and we're talking about a top-five season from Number 12.

Tom Brady sure taught us all to never count him out in 2014.