Banged-up Brady sits out
Misses practice with knee, illness, but likely to play
FOXBORO — Tom Brady was nowhere to be found during the Patriots’ final practice of the week.
Rarely one to sit out on Fridays, Brady missed the session because of a knee injury and an illness. He’s listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game at the Jets, although earlier in the week a source indicated the knee injury is “not bad” and won’t keep Brady from playing against the Jets.
He hasn’t missed a game because of injury since 2008.
The 41-year-old Brady suffered the injury on his reception in Week 10 against the Titans. On a third-and-7 in the fourth quarter, the Pats called a reverse-pass to Brady, the same play they used in the Super Bowl LII loss to the Eagles. Brady handed off to James White, who pitched the ball to receiver Julian Edelman. As the WhiteEdelman exchange happened, Brady leaked into the flat. He adjusted his body to catch the pass from Edelman, then stumbled forward toward the first-down marker. As he dove, Brady’s right knee hit the turf hard. Titans linebacker Wesley Woodyard came crashing down on Brady.
When Brady has been banged up in recent years, he’s generally skipped practice either Wednesday or Thursday and returned to the field on Friday. This was the case in the week leading up to the AFC Championship game a year ago, as Brady suffered a hand injury in Wednesday’s practice, sat out Thursday, and returned in a limited capacity for the final tune-up.
It’s rare, but not unprecedented, for Brady to skip a Friday session. Late in the 2015 season, an illness kept Brady off the field on the Friday before a Week 15 tilt with the Titans. He suited up for the game, throwing for 267 yards and two touchdowns.
A similar scenario could unfold tomorrow in New Jersey. At this point in the week, there has been no indication Brady will sit out.
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who declared himself “good to go” for the Jets game, played coy in regards to Brady’s status.
Gronkowski admitted he caught passes from Brady on Thursday, but wouldn’t go much further than that.
“Didn’t tell you where, though,” Gronkowski joked. “Could have been on the field, could have been in the locker room.”
Gronkowski was then asked if it’s ever concerning to see Brady skip a practice.
“No, just got to keep doing what we’ve got to do,” Gronkowski said. “You’ve got to focus on doing your job and when there’s not a player like that in — because he runs the offense and everything — you’ve just got to be more alert and more aware and just got to make sure you’re on top of your job and your assignment and everything.
“Because, no lie, he knows the playbook inside and out, basically every position, so if he’s not in there, you’ve just got to make sure you know what you’re doing, your knowledge and do your job.”
Brady’s scheduled press conference yesterday afternoon was canceled.
Under Brady’s guidance, the 2018 Patriots boast one of the league’s top offenses. Their average of 28 points per game puts them behind only the Saints, Chiefs, Rams, Steelers, Colts and Bears. Still, the 2018 season has been an uneven one for Brady and Co.
They’re coming off a disappointing 34-10 loss at the Titans, a game that featured too many low-percentage throws from Brady and little offensive balance.
Brady’s passer rating of 94.7 ranks 17th among starting quarterbacks, trailing the likes of Eli Manning, Mitchell Trubisky, Deshaun Watson and Ryan Fitzpatrick. His mark of 275 passing yards per game ranks 14th in the league.
Over his past three games, Brady has completed 59.5 percent of his passes and has thrown only one touchdown.
The Week 12 game against the Jets could be a perfect breakout spot for Brady and the Patriots offense.
“I don’t think we have played perfectly, but I think we’ve built to this point where we are in a position to start playing our best,” Brady said on a WEEI interview with Mut & Callahan earlier this week. “It’s really up to us. There’s no way to talk your way into it. You have to do it.”