Topics this week include Tom Bradys amazing 2016 season; the man behind the Raiders rebuild; and three Class of 2004 quarterbacks joining elite companyThe man behind the Raiders revivalWhile the Oakland Raiders enjoy a bye week, the man who assembled the roster that has led the revival of a once-storied franchise continues to plow ahead with the personnel duties that are never-ceasing and wisely suggest, Work in progress.At least Reggie McKenzie, the Raiders general manager, has the tools that have equipped him for the job.Ron Wolf, the Hall of Fame general manager associated with restoring the Green Bay Packers prominence, saw it coming after he hired McKenzie as a pro personnel assistant in 1994. McKenzie remained with the Packers in the player personnel department until he was selected as the Raiders GM in 2012, less than a year after Al Davis died. Wolf recommended McKenzie to Raiders owner Mark Davis without hesitation.I thought he was exceptional at what he did -- that is, to evaluate talent, Wolf said. He had a rare feel for evaluating players properly. He really was a cut above. I think that came from him being a player. He was smart, he was tough, he was strong and he understood the game. I hate to say this, but maybe the best thing for pro football is that he got hurt, couldnt play anymore, and he went into talent evaluation.Wolf was a mainstay in personnel under Davis when Raiders selected McKenzie, a linebacker for the University of Tennessee, in the 10th round of the 1984 NFL draft. That season, he started all 16 games and was named to the all-rookie team after the Raiders went 12-4.McKenzie played next to Matt Millen, an All-Pro linebacker -- yes, that Matt Millen, the former general manager of the Detroit Lions.I tried to hire Reggie in Detroit but he stayed put, Millen said. The thing you valued is he thinks like Ron did. Ron trained him and Reggie was a great student, which if you know Reggies background, he was always a great student in high school and college. Reggie has his own instincts, like Ron. He has his own unique way of looking at things, but he also is grounded in the fundamentals of the job.Among those fundamentals, Wolf and Millen both agree, is finding a franchise quarterback. Wolf succeeded when he landed Brett Favre. Millen landed Joey Harrington.The bottom line is if you dont find that quarterback, then you dont have much a chance to go where you want to go, Millen said.McKenzie spent his first two years in Oakland with few draft picks and a bloated payroll that led to massive salary-cap cuts of established players who were on the down side, before he pounced on Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr in the second round of the 2014 draft. McKenzie also scored big that year in the first round when he took University of Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack.Reggie found the quarterback, he found a dynamic pass-rusher and he is using all the tools available to build through the draft, free agency, the trade market if necessary, Wolf said. Just look at the offensive line. Its one of the best in football. Hes used free agency and the draft to build it pretty quickly. If you dont have five of those guys up front, your quarterback wont have a chance to display those skills.The exciting part is that Reggie has built a strong personnel department, and because of his own skills, what he is doing is very sustainable. He weathered the storm of those first two years. Im just delighted for him. Its exciting. Its exciting for the Raiders. Its exciting for the NFL.-- Chris MortensenAge looks good on Tom BradyNow that his bye week is over and his second-half run is about to commence, Brady is taking dead aim at the rest of the league -- and hist