Tom Brady just did something against the Detroit Lions no other QB has done
In case there was still any doubt that Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady was the G.O.A.T., he made history again Saturday against the Detroit Lions.
The ex-Michigan quarterback needed just a half to throw for 348 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions on 22-for-27 passing in the Bucs' 47-7 win at Ford Field. That gave him a passer rating of 158.3 — a “perfect” score, according to the NFL’s formula (adopted in 1973).
It’s the seventh time since 1950 that a QB has posted a perfect rating against the Lions (with a minimum of 10 pass attempts), but Brady is the first QB to do it twice against the Honolulu Blue and Silver. He was also dominant for the Patriots 10 years ago, in a 45-24 Thanksgiving Day blowout in 2010.
[ Remembering Tom Brady's NFL debut vs. Lions: Why wasn't he wearing Honolulu Blue & Silver? ]
He stayed in for all of that one, but his numbers then — 21-for-27, 341 yards, four TDs, 0 picks — look pretty similar to what he did Saturday.
(Of course, he wasn't alone in dominating the Lions on Saturday; the Bucs' 588 yards was the most allowed in Lions franchise history in a regulation game.)
The other five QBs with perfect passer ratings against the Lions since 1950:
Oct. 28, 2018: Seattle’s Russell Wilson completed 14 of 17 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-14 victory at Ford Field.
Sept. 23, 2007: Philadelphia’s Donovan McNabb completed 21 of 26 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns in a 56-21 victory at home.
Dec. 14, 2003: Kansas City’s Trent Green completed 20 of 25 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-17 victory at Arrowhead Stadium.
[ Lions' Matthew Stafford injures ankle in 1st quarter vs. Bucs ]
Oct. 15, 1992: Minnesota’s Rich Gannon completed 8 of 10 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-14 victory at the Metrodome.
Dec. 6, 1959: The Chicago Cardinals’ M.C. Reynolds came off the bench at Briggs Stadium in Detroit to complete eight of 10 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns in the Lions’ 45-21 victory.
[ Deshaun Watson has second-greatest Thanksgiving QB performance vs. Lions ]
Contact Ryan Ford at rford@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @theford.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tom Brady just did something against the Detroit Lions no QB had done