Even with Perfect Record, Tom Brady Proves Patriots Can Overcome Imperfection

The New England Patriots are still undefeated.

That does not mean they are flawless, as we learned in their 27-26 win over the New York Giants.

There are holes in the secondary that can be exposed by good quarterbacks like Eli Manning and good receivers like Odell Beckham, Jr. and Rueben Randle. There are depth issues on the offensive line that are exacerbated by a team with even a modicum of talented defensive linemen like Jason Pierre-Paul. 

But with a gutsy fourth-quarter performance, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady put the team on his shoulders and carried them to victory. In the fourth quarter, Brady was 11-of-17 passing for 193 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

These gotta-have-it situations have been much less frequent for the Patriots this year than in years past.

In 2013, Brady led the Patriots on five fourth-quarter comebacks in the regular season. In 2014, he led the Patriots on four fourth-quarter comebacks in the regular season and two more in the playoffs. This was just the second time all season that the Patriots had to overcome a fourth-quarter deficit to win a game.

The Patriots faced the largest deficit they've faced since Super Bowl XLIX, when they were down by 10 points in the fourth quarter and came back to win. 

So the Patriots haven't had to call on the "clutch gene" in their famously clutch quarterback. Call it one of the advantages of being undefeated and one of the best teams in football this season.

To say the least, it was an interesting situation to be in against the Giants. After all, it's usually been the Patriots offense sitting on the sideline waiting for the results of a last-minute drive by the Giants offense. This time, the roles were reversed, and the Patriots were all too happy to deliver a dagger the likes of which the Giants have delivered three times to Brady and head coach Bill Belichick.

But even in helping the Patriots overcome their imperfections, Brady himself was imperfect. He threw an interception at the goal line, and in what could have been a narrative-twisting play, Brady nearly cost his team the game on the first play of the Patriots' final drive. Giants rookie safety Landon Collins had a chance to reel in a game-ending interception of Brady, but he dropped the pass as he went to the ground. 

David Tyree had the Helmet Catch. We might want to call Collins' dropped interception "The Agony and the Ecstasy." Brady doesn't make many mistakes like that in a game, and he didn't make another like that the rest of the way out. 

Make no mistake; Brady should run to Hallmark and find the nicest, most patriotic and glittery "thank you" card they have and put that in Stephen Gostkowski's locker. The Patriots kicker has been perfect this season. He has not missed a single field-goal try, and his 54-yard game-winner stayed true with one second left on the clock.

The Patriots are undefeated, but they are not perfect. And neither is Brady. But on Sunday, he was good enough to lead the Patriots to victory. 

With holes on the offensive line and with injuries at running back and now at wide receiver (Julian Edelman left with an ankle injury and did not return), the Patriots offense is losing pieces at an alarming rate.

More imperfections for Brady to overcome. We'll have to see if he's up to the challenge, but if Sunday (and Brady's entire career) is any indication, the Patriots are in good hands.