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Does Ryan Tannehill have the potential to achieve greatness under head coach Adam Gase? Well, a head-to-head comparison with Tom Brady over the first 5 years of their respective careers would seem to suggest that the answer is…..well, why don’t you tell me!

Now, even though my reputation has been built on delving deeply into every aspect of the Dolphins to pull out the hidden clues most fans wouldn’t spot on their own, in this series, I will offer minimal analysis and allow the evidence to speak for itself so that every fan can make up his or her own mind.

Points To Consider

While Tannehill’s critics will surely point out that Brady had already won a Super Bowl by the end of his 5th season, as you read these numbers, take into account that Brady played under the same coach for all 5 years. Tannehill, on the other hand, has had to endure 3 different head coaching changes and 4 different offensive coordinators over that same period of time.

The Facts

Games Started
Brady – 64
Tannehill – 77

Attempts
Brady – 2018
Tannehill – 2637

Completions
Brady – 1243
Tannehill – 1653

Completion Pct
Brady – 61.5
Tannehill – 62.7

Yards Passing
Brady – 13925
Tannehill – 18455

Yards per Pass
Brady – 6.9
Tannehill – 7.0

Passing Touchdowns
Brady – 97
Tannehill – 106

The following statistics are important and should be considered together when evaluating both Qbs’ performances.

Interceptions
Brady – 52
Tannehill – 66

Sacks
Brady – 130
Tannehill – 213

While the criticism of Tannehill’s deep passing skills has waned over the last two seasons, it was, nonetheless a staple of his critics over the first 3 years of his career. After examining the numbers below, do you still feel that criticism was valid?

Passes 20+ yards
Brady – 165
Tannehill – 221

Passes 40+ yards
Brady – 27
Tannehill – 41

When looking at the passer rating, you may ask yourself the following question. How can Brady have a higher passer rating when Tannehill was superior in almost every category? Well, the answer to that question goes back to the disproportionate number of sacks Tannehill has suffered over his first five years.

Passer Rating
Brady – 87.4
Tannehill – 86.5

Whatever fans may think of Tannehill as a passer, there is no denying he is a far better scrambler than Brady, and a far more dangerous weapon on the ground, as the numbers below attest.

Rushing Attempts
Brady – 163
Tannehill – 216

Rushing Yards
Brady – 244
Tannehill – 1065

Rushing Average
Brady – 1.5
Tannehill – 4.9

Rushing TDs
Brady – 2
Tannehill – 6

While there are certainly no guarantees that Tannehill will go on to achieve the kind of success Brady has enjoyed, this comparison would seem to suggest that a bright future is certainly a very real possibility.

You Be The Judge

So, now it is your turn. Let me know what you think of Tannehill’s performance through his first 5 seasons and what you expect in the years to come. Is he a dud or the man to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Miami?