Can Weddle finally earn first victory over Brady?

When Philip Rivers thinks of Tom Brady, the first word that comes to mind could be ... Dadgummit! Rivers never beat Brady, not once, in the eight games between AFC star quarterbacks.

Eric Weddle knows his buddy’s pain.

As a defensive quarterback of San Diego Chargers teams led on offense by Rivers, the safety matched wits against Brady in the 2007 AFC championship game and four regularseason games.

Brady’s Patriots always came out on top. Toss in a subsequent loss with the Baltimore Ravens, and Weddle is 0-6 against Brady.

The 0-for-Brady club is loaded with football stars. Brady has raised seven Lombardi Trophies. He has taken nine teams to the Super Bowl. Rivers never got to one, nor has Weddle.

You can call him Tom or Darth or this:

“He’s the GOAT,” Weddle said.

In a shocker, Weddle, 37, stands to get another crack at Brady, 44, when the Los Angeles Rams face the Buccaneers in an NFC divisional playoff game Sunday.

Locale will be Tampa, or is it Tom-pa?

Weddle figures to be loose, knowing he’s playing with house money. Just two weeks ago, he was two years into retirement he’s depicted as blissful. Then the Rams called. They’d lost two safeties in the season finale. Would he join them for the playoffs? Weddle, surprising his agent, said yes and played 19 snaps in Monday’s rout of Arizona.

If Weddle is ever to get past Brady, it figures to take unique circumstance. Exiting retirement qualifies.

“I can’t say I’ve beaten him, so let’s break that streak — how about that?” Weddle said late Monday, following L.A.’s 34-11 romp in the Kroenke Dome.

It was 14 years ago this month the Chargers and unbeaten Patriots met with a Super Bowl on the line.

A much healthier team, even with Brady’s back ailing, the Patriots won at home, 21-12. The Chargers’ rookie free safety wasn’t discouraged. He had visions of the Chargers winning Super Bowls.

The divisional round was as far as they got, and when Rivers faced Brady there on Jan. 13, 2019, Brady looked sharper than ever. He led the Patriots to five touchdown drives by halftime.

Beating Brady almost never seems to become less difficult.

He took the Bucs to a 13-4 record this season. He finished first in touchdown passes (43) and passing