The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
Brady on Patriots’ jumbled offence: ‘We’re not 2-10’
New England is going to need to find some points to beat the Kansas City Chiefs next weekend, but quarterback Tom Brady would like to hush the panic over the Patriots' scattershot offence.
A loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday night dropped the Patriots to 10-2.
"We're not 2-10, we're 10-2," Brady said in a radio interview Monday with WEEI in Boston.
"I know there are very high expectations, as there are for us. I think the expectations for our team are often at a very, very, very high level. I understand that. But at the same time I think there are realistic expectations with our circumstances and incorporating different elements and players and injuries.
"We're just trying to do the best we can do. We have our whole season ahead of us, and we have to learn from the things we did last night and try to go out there and get a really tough win against KC and see if we can get back to winning."
Without Rob Gronkowski (retirement) and having released Josh Gordon following Antonio Brown's brief stint with the team, the Patriots receiver corps has been a work in progress.
Rookie N'Keal Harry is being pushed into a prominent role of late, but spent the first two months of the season on injured reserve. Julian Edelman and Phillip Dorsett have been Brady's primary receivers this season. Mohamed Sanu, acquired via trade from the Atlanta Falcons, hasn't been fully healthy since the deal in October.
"A quarterback's responsibility is to try to lead and motivate. We're often the voice of a lot of situations, because first we're calling the plays in the huddle. And we have a lot of information from the coaches and coordinators on what we're trying to do. We're trying to motivate people and get people to play their best," Brady said.
Brady has 18 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2019. But his passer rating of 88.2 is well off of his career mark of 97.1. He completed only 51.1 per cent of his passes against the Texans and was sacked three times, with an interception — on a slant intended for Harry — that resulted in a Houston touchdown.
Brady said after the game the Patriots “didn't deserve” the win.
"Guys are trying. I have no problem (with effort)," Brady said in the radio interview.
"It's not like we haven't dealt with losses before. I think a lot of it is about mental toughness and realizing that when you don't play well, you're not supposed to win. You're not supposed to win when you put less than your best out there. Sometimes you get away with it. Most of the times you don't.
"I don't think anyone is feeling sorry for us. We're not feeling sorry for us. We're going to try to have a great week of preparation and see if we can get back to winning."
The Patriots host the Chiefs (8-4) on Sunday in a rematch of last season's AFC championship game.