After leading the Patriots to an NFL-best 14-2 record, Tom Brady watched as his team’s Super Bowl hopes vanished due to an overpowering performance by the New York Jets last Sunday.

Jets linebacker Bart Scott, who will never be associated with the term modesty, stated that Brady’s aura as of late is a myth and nothing more.

Unfortunately for Brady backers, Scott’s claims are accurate.

The former Michigan Wolverine quarterback has thrown six touchdown passes and seven interceptions in his last four playoff games.

As detailed in Sunday’s live blog, Brady struggled to find open receivers and on other occasions, New York’s pass rush (namely Shaun Ellis) caught up with him.

During a radio interview on Tuesday, ESPN’s Ron Jaworski told WEEI in Boston that while New York’s defensive game plan was superb, Brady left some chances on the field.

“I went through the tape and there were some plays on the field that Tom Brady did not see. I think Tom began to play a little bit fast, and the term I use, he began to see ghosts. There were some opportunities, particularly early in the game, a key third-and-3, he had Danny Woodhead out of the backfield in the flat and he doesn’t throw the football. It’s a play that Tom has probably seen 50 times this year and completed 50 times. For some reason, he didn’t throw the football. I don’t know if he got spooked by the [first-quarter] interception or what, but he did leave some plays on the field.”

Sunday’s loss marked Brady’s third straight in postseason action. After starting out 10-0 in playoff games, the league’s likely MVP is 4-5 over his last nine.

As they tend to do, the media overreacts because they were made to look foolish by New England’s underachieving postseason. Thus, the quarterback gets clobbered for the team’s lack of success.

While Brady’s recent playoff struggles coincide with the team’s personnel transition over the last three years (22 players on Sunday participated in their first playoff game), his postseason play has been compromised.

Is the Brady era over?

Not quite. It was supposed to be over last year too after the Baltimore debacle during the AFC playoffs.

Obviously, some jumped the gun on such a conclusion.

He is not the first quarterback to endure a three-game losing streak after a tremendous start to his playoff career.

Joe Montana went 7-1 in his first eight playoff games. Then, from 1985 to 1987, Montana lost three straight postseason games, scoring a grand total of 30 points in those contests.

Montana ripped off back to back Super Bowl wins in the ’88 and ’89 seasons.

Meanwhile, recovering Brady’s postseason greatness is not contingent solely upon the man himself.

It will start from owner Robert Kraft down to the individual who gives him ammonia to sniff prior to the game’s start.

Despite finishing ninth overall in rushing during the regular season, New England’s offense is solely built around Brady’s abilities.

Unfortunately for Bill Belichick and company, teams have found the passing game’s kryptonite; strong coverage and the occasional pass rush.

Unless more vertical playmakers appear in the passing game and/or they get a stronger top running back, this will likely keep happening to Brady in critical playoff spots.

It could be worse though Patriots fans.

At least his playoff record is not 9-10.