It’s all yours, Tom
Brady returns at an ideal time
FOXBORO — Welcome back, Tom Brady. The Patriots didn’t fall off the AFC map during your absence, as some were hoping and expecting. They completed your four-game exile with a 3-1 record.
But, let’s be real. The Patriots still desperately need you especially if championship No. 5 is the desired goal. And based on what we saw during those four games, another Super Bowl should be on the radar.
Look, the team isn’t as bad as it looked yesterday against the Bills during the 16-0 loss, and it was certainly pretty woeful all across the board with all the penalties and mistakes it committed. As you know, it’s not often you see Bill Belichick lose it on the sideline, but he slammed his tablet to the ground over his team’s early ineptness.
Rex Ryan’s team got the last laugh, and we’re sure that won’t sit well with you, Belichick or anyone else.
The only time your team responded to any kind of challenge was when Malcolm Mitchell and others came to the defense of rookie starter Jacoby Brissett, who was purposely bumped by Bills safety Robert Blanton. Only, that happened during pregame warm-ups.
But there’s no need to panic over one game, and think the team you’re about to rejoin is as woeful as it appeared for four quarters.
By the same token, it’s also not as good as it looked against the Texans, when the Patriots turned in a spectacular effort in all three phases of the game.
You were probably paying attention, but if you didn’t get the game films, there’s a lot to like. Looking at the games as a whole as we hit the quarter pole, the good far outweighs the bad. Let’s look at the offense. You’re going to love Martellus Bennett, who has been a terrific twoway tight end. He’s been one of the most consistent performers and one of the few bright spots against Buffalo, catching five passes for 109 yards.
Prior to yesterday, the running game was effective when needed with LeGarrette Blount (two 100-yard games) gobbling up huge chunks of yards. We think you’ll be able to count on that going forward, even if the offense understandably turns more pass-happy with you under center.
Rob Gronkowski is getting closer. He more than doubled his snap count in his second game back. Once again he was used primarily as a blocker, catching just one pass, but should be almost all the way back from his hamstring problem for your first game back Sunday against Cleveland.
Here’s what Gronk had to say about how he was progressing: “I felt good (yesterday), went out there. The coaches, training staff and everything, we just had a little plan, obviously, not to go every single play, but to build it back up. I felt good out there, felt good every time I stepped out there; (I’ve) just got to keep on improving. It’s basically just up to me to get back to full speed.”
The offensive line has been up and down, but not anywhere near as bad as it was the last time you played quarterback in a game that counted. You can thank offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia for that.
So your return couldn’t come at a better time. With all due respect to Brissett, who showed a lot of toughness and hung in there the past two games, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels just can’t utilize the offense or the playbook in the same manner as he can with you at QB.
It was better with Jimmy Garoppolo in there, with more of the playbook in play. He even looked a lot like you during the first half of the Miami game, with those quick reads and fast delivery. But the offense has been a bit out of sync, as Julian Edelman said after the game. Converting just one of their 12 third-down opportunities was abysmal.
That’s where you come in. This is what your buddy Edelman had to say about your pending return:
“It’s going to be good to have him back. Any time one of your best players isn’t there, there’s something missing. We handled a lot of it well. (Yesterday), we just didn’t. The Bills just outplayed us.”
Even Ryan couldn’t help but sing your praises.
“(Garoppolo and Brissett) are different, but I got news for you, Garoppolo is not Brady, either,” Ryan said following the game. “Not even close. He’s a good player, but there is only one Tom Brady.”
So, welcome back to Gillette, Tom. Time to leave your backyard field and get back to work with your teammates.