Cold will be a factor in Pats-Chargers

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. His coach downplays it. Tom Brady does not.

Brady knows the coldweather New England Patriots should have an advantage when they host the warmweather Los Angeles Chargers in Sunday’s AFC divisionalround game.

Hours before, Bill Belichick said, “We’re playing the Chargers. We’re not playing the weather — whatever it is, it is. We’re going to be on the same field” when asked about having no advantage. His quarterback made it clear this team is quite comfortable in the expected chilly conditions.

New England will apparently dodge the snowstorm that’s making its way to the East Coast, but it will be cold. It’s the kind of cold the Patriots, who are seeking their eighth straight trip to the AFC title game and a sixth Super Bowl title in the Brady era, know all too well.

“I just think the ability to practice in it,” Brady told his regular Friday media session. “Like today, it’s very similar to what we’re going to get on Sunday, so just knowing how many layers you have to put on, and kind of how you’re going to feel when you have the nice, warm, heated benches out there like we will on Sunday.”

Brady and counterpart Philip Rivers (37) combine to be the oldest pair of quarterbacks to face each other in a post-season game. Brady is 70 head to head with Rivers.