Snow, sleet, freezing rain, and sub-freezing temperatures. That's just part of the second half of the NFL season for the New England Patriots. Heck, some of the team's most iconic playoff moments have come in what's technically called "freezing-ass cold", and Massachusett's famously brutal weather has taken its toll on more than a few quarterbacks that are used to more tropical climates.
Oh, and also, the treacherous, brutally cold and windy New England winter weather usually isn't too kind to quarterbacks that play 8 or more games a season in a nice, comfy dome, either.
That list of quarterbacks that the New England winters have eaten for lunch is another story for another day. That's not why we're here - we're here because when Tom Brady's played in a dome stadium over the years, his stat line goes from off the chain to...well, more off the chain.
And Super Bowl LI just so happens to be in a dome this year.
To give credit where credit is due, Kerry Byrne of Cold Hard Football Facts did all the heavy lifting here - in Byrne's out-freaking-standing "No Debate: Facts Show Brady is Better Than Manning" statistical buffet of comparisons proving Brady's dominance over the elder Manning brother, he took a look at how Brady played in the outdoors (like, say, Gillette Stadium) compared to how he played in domes, and then stacked up Peyton outdoors vs. Peyton indoors.
It shakes out about how you might think. What's truly stunning is that Brady is, as Byrne puts it, "virtually unstoppable" playing in a dome.
(I've included Byrne's Manning comparisons just for fun, and as ammo for the haters if necessary. Also, note that this came out after the Pats/Broncos game in the fall of 2014, but there's little reason to believe Brady's stat line would be much different if you include his outstanding 2015 and 2016 campaigns.)
- Brady has played 92% of his games outdoors (185 of 202)
- Manning has played 49% of his games outdoors (122 of 248)
- Brady in a dome: 67.4%, 8.64 YPA, 6.9 TD%, 2.62% INT, 106.42 rating
- Manning in a dome: 66.16%, 7.8 YPA, 6.1% TD, 2.4% INT, 99.72 rating
- Brady outdoors: 63.15%, 7.35 YPA, 5.39% TD, 1.93% INT, 95.28 rating
- Manning outdoors: 64.97%, 7.62 YPA, 5.66% TD, 2.63% INT, 95.83 rating
DB UNITY. @rootsoffight coming thru with the jackets. #RiseUp pic.twitter.com/doIUM61wyW
— Robert Alford (@rockorocky) January 22, 2017