Tom Brady On Next Week’s Showdown With New Orleans: “Coach said after the game, this is probably going to be the best team we’ve faced thus far.”
November 23, 2009 – 9:30 am by Bunk
Just a week removed from one of the more devastating regular season losses we’ve seen in a long time, the New England Patriots got back in the win column with a convincing 31-14 win over the rival New York Jets. The Patriots needed the victory for a lot of reasons – to retain their lead in the AFC East, to erase the painful memory of last week from their minds, and to enact a little revenge on the Jets who beat them earlier in the year. Check. Tom Brady and the Patriots offense was efficient, racking up over 400 yards of total offense. The defense meanwhile turned over rookie Mark Sanchez five times. Next up for the Pats? A date with the undefeated New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football down in the Big Easy. Think their might be some offense in that one?
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady joined WEEI in Boston to talk about his team getting back on track this week against the Jets, why he thinks Wes Welker is the best possession receiver in football, how he might force the occasional pass to Randy Moss to keep the immensely talented star engaged in the flow of the game, and how he’s plenty ready to take on Drew Brees and the high-flying Saints next Monday.
On what makes wide receiver Wes Welker so special:
“Well, he’s the quickest guy on the field. He and Randy are two of the smartest receivers I’ve ever played with. They’re able to understand the route combinations and the different coverage adjustments that they get. And then the other thing about being in the slot, which is different than being on the outside part of the field, is you havethe whole field to work with. As a slot receiver, you can really run to any point on the field: long outside, long inside, short inside, short outside, over the middle, short crosses, diagonals to the flat. As an outside receiver you really can’t do a lot. That’s why it’s also harder to play defense on the inside part of the field as a slot defender like a sub-nickel defensive back, because you really have to cover everything. Whenever you get those match-ups with Wes inside on defensive backs that are typically the third defensive back that comes into the game, then you always feel like you have a great advantage. Wes has just been dominant over the last three years. He’s just been an incredible player for us. Not only that, but he takes care of himself so well — his body, and mentally he’s always ready to go out there and play. What you see on the game field is exactly what you see in practice. He’s so mentally tough. To come from where he’s come — basically an undrafted free agent that got cut by San Diego — it’s pretty unbelievable.”
On if he ever throws it to Randy moss just to keep him interested and engaged in the game:
“Definitely, definitely. That’s another difference between Wes and Randy, in that Wes can pretty much get the ball against any coverage on any play. Randy needs to have the right play called against the right coverage for him to get the ball. That’s just the difference between an outside receiver and a slot receiver. It’s easy to get Wes the ball. At times it’s more challenging to get Randy the ball just because he’s farther away from the quarterback. We had him in the slot last week and we hit that long one down the middle to him against the Colts. That’s a good opportunity for him to get the ball. He’s always a threat out there. I think they complement each other so well.”
On the struggles of his QB counterpart Mark Sanchez (4 interceptions on Sunday) and how much New England’s defense was responsible for his mistakes:
“I’d say this: Every quarterback who’s playing out there can do the job. Every quarterback playing on an NFL team has the arm strength – not that I think arm strength is that important. To me, what’s most important is decision-making and accuracy. If I’m looking for a quarterback, I’m looking for a guy who is going to make a good decision with the ball, and when he decides to throw the ball, he can throw it where he wants to throw it. If he’s got good arm strength or good fet or can avoid the rush or make plays on the run like Ben Roethlisberger, obviously, your level of intelligence, you need to be a sharp guy back there because things are changing quite a bit. There’s leadership aspects to quarterback. As a young quarterback, it’s tough, because everything you see is new. I remember when I was his age. Even the first few years, everything was new. Now, for me, everything is old. I’ve seen every coverage. I’ve seen every blitz. I’ve seen every team. I’ve seen every coach. I’ve seen every player. I’ve seen every play that we’ve run. I have a really good idea of what I’m looking for, how I’m going to attack it. That’s why, not that you’re going to make great plays all the time, but really, you can eliminate mistakes. Mistakes are what kill you in the NFL. You don’t lose a game and say, “We lost the game because of an incomplete pass.”
On if he thinks Welker is the best possession receiver in the game right now:
“I don’t think there’s anybody better in the league right now. He’s leading league in receptions, in yards. That’s with missing two games. Last year, he had 112 catches. The year before that, he had 110. It’s hard to think he’s set every Patriots reception record. He’s an incredible player. Troy Brown to me, he was unbelievable. Troy was one of the smartest, most competitive guys I’ve ever been around. Wes is really making his mark and creating a legacy for himself. We’ve got to win the big games. That’s what we’re all looking forward to doing. But I tell you, Wes has been a huge addition. He brings not only his physical ability out there, what he can do for a team, but also his leadership and toughness, which for me far exceeds what he does in terms of route-running and catching the ball. He’s an exceptional talent, an exceptional teammate. Hopefully, we’re playing together for a long time.”
On the huge showdown with New Orleans that is looming next week and whether he’d prefer to play that type of marquee game on Monday night or on a Sunday afternoon:
“Sunday at 1, to me, is perfect. I love Sunday at 1. Monday Night Football, when you get to the game and start to play, it’s pretty cool. But Sunday at 1, that’s the best. You get home at 6 or 7 o’clock. You have all day Monday, all day Tuesday, and you can get prepared for the following week. But New Orleans, coach said after the game, this is probably going to be the best team we’ve faced thus far. The Colts obviously are a great team, but they’re probably right up there with the Colts — they’re undefeated, 10-0, great defense, they’re playing at home — they play well there, great quarterback, great coach, great running game. This will be fun for us. We need a big win on the road, I know that. We need a big win on the road. We’ve had three opportunities, and we’ve lost all three. So this will be a big one to get.”
Listen here to Brady with Dennis & Callahan on WEEI in Boston
Tags: AFC Playoffs, New England Patriots, Tom Brady, WEEI, Week 11 NFL, Wes Welker
