Brady’s back?

Tom Brady exploded for six touchdowns on Sunday -- against a team that gave up on its season three weeks ago.

 For anyone who thinks Tom Brady has returned to his 2007 form after a brilliant performance against the Tennessee Titans — you’re wrong.

Brady — and perhaps no other quarterback — will have the success he enjoyed in 2007.

It was the perfect storm: An undersized and underrated Wes Welker was out to prove he was a legitimate NFL receiver. An underachieving Randy Moss was motivated to produce after those dismal years in Oakland. And Bill Belichick was pissed off at the world because of the Spy Gate controversy and wanted to stick it to every team on the schedule. The stars were aligned for the Patriots to wreak havoc on the league.

By some, Brady was crowned as the greatest quarterback to ever grace an NFL field. Garbage.

Brady’s 2007 campaign was an illusion. It created a false perception that he was a guy that dominates a football game and puts up mind-blowing stats. It happened once. Every other season, statistically, he’s simply been an above average quarterback. Only twice before 2007 did Brady boast a QB rating better than 90 (92.6 in 2004, 92.3 in 2005) and never did he exceed 28 touchdowns before he blew up for 50 in ’07.

Everyone fell in love with Brady from 2001-04 because of three Super Bowls in four years. Some anointed him as the best QB in the league. This was a huge misconception. He was a great game manager, who had a great offensive line and a great defense — and don’t forget about that Adam Vinatieri guy.

He’s improved tremendously since then. His arm has become much stronger, although the deep ball is still the biggest weakness in his game. However, despite his growth as a quarterback, the Patriots stopped winning Super Bowls. That proves quarterback play doesn’t automatically translate to team success and Brady was just a part of the Patriots triumphs — not the reason for them.

Brady is a top 10 quarterback in this league. But just because he threw for six scores against a team who gave up on their season after Week 3 doesn’t mean he’s about to dominate the league. Hell, the Tennessee secondary is so beat up, some college teams could pass all over them.

I’ve always maintained New England’s success over the past eight years has had more to do with Belichick’s gameplans than Brady’s arm. This year will be no different.

-Tidbit