Sunday night did not end the way New England Patriots football fans wanted.

Once again, they had to sit through a Super Bowl that saw the New York Giants beat their beloved team, and watch New York quarterback Eli Manning lead his team to a last-minute touchdown for the Super Bowl win.

Once again, they watched the Giants celebrate and hold high the Lombardi Trophy as the Patriots solemnly walked off the field.

Now, Patriots fans will need to listen to cynics criticize the team and quarterback Tom Brady.

Critics will question Tom Brady’s legacy. They will question his ability to win the big games. They will question where he stands among the game’s elite quarterbacks.

None of these questions will be fair to ask based solely on Tom Brady’s last two Super Bowl appearances. The fact remains that he has led New England to the big game five times, winning three of them. He has lost the last two by a combined seven points.

NFL fans regard Dan Marino, John Elway and Jim Kelly as three of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. They were all drafted as part of the celebrated 1983 quarterback class. Marino never won a Super Bowl. Kelly got the Buffalo Bills to the Super Bowl four straight years, but lost every time, and Elway won two after losing three. Together the trio combined for 10 Super Bowl appearances and sport a record of 2-8, yet no one questions how good they were.

Brady is an elite quarterback who will go down in history as one of the best to play the game. He is 34 and is in his prime. He has at least four more years to try and earn another ring.

Fans on Sunday night saw that Brady is the great quarterback that he is advertised to be. He set a Super Bowl record, completing 16 straight passes. He led the Patriots to two straight touchdowns during that streak. Unfortunately, football is a game of unexpected circumstances, and Brady paid the price.

On the next drive after giving the Patriots a 17-9 lead, the New York Giants’ Justin Tuck tackled Brady hard and appeared to have injured Brady’s left shoulder. For the rest of the game, Brady played unevenly, only completing seven passes and throwing an interception.

One can’t make excuses in the Super Bowl and an excuse won’t be made for Brady, but something seemed to change after the Tuck hit. The game was different, and Brady was not the same.

The loss wasn’t all on Brady, either. Slot receiver Wes Welker dropped a pass in the fourth quarter that he catches almost 100 percent of the time. The missed catch stalled the drive and gave the Giants the ball back with 3:41 remaining. If Welker had caught that ball, then no one could have any negative questions regarding Brady, as the Patriots would probably have won the game. He would be proclaimed as one of the best quarterbacks of all time, tying Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw’s records of winning four Super Bowls.

Patriots fans will need to give credit to Manning, however. He once again rose to the occasion and outplayed Brady on the big stage. He beat Brady and Patriots coach Bill Belichick for the third straight time. The Giants are the rightful Super Bowl champions.

Brady, however, will enter next season as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. The Patriots will probably be favored to win their division again. If the Patriots draft well in the off-season and get Brady a big-time wide receiver or some solid veteran defensive players, then Brady will once again have the Patriots in the Super Bowl hunt.

Brady is one of the best to play the game. He holds records for TD passes in a season with 50, which he set in 2007. He passed for more than 5,000 yards this season. He has three Super Bowl titles. He has never had a losing record as a starting quarterback in the NFL. In his career, Brady has passed for 39,979 yards, 300 touchdowns and 115 interceptions. Quite simply, he is consistently great.

Although the Patriots lost on Sunday, fans should recognize that Brady is an elite quarterback. They should not criticize or question his legacy. They should just sit back and enjoy the ride.

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Today’s editorial was written by Sports Editor Al Edwards on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.