When Tom Brady Runs, It's 'Demoralizing' To Opposing Defenses
BOSTON (CBS) -- Tom Brady's 17th season in the NFL has been like no other.
With his DeflateGate suspension reinstated back in July, the 39-year-old began the year knowing he'd have to stay away from the Patriots for the first four games of the regular season. Brady approached training camp like every other, but for the Pats, the priority was to get Jimmy Garoppolo ready for the first month.
Brady still got his snaps, but the spotlight was on someone else. That's something that had to kill such a fierce competitor, and it went to a new level when Brady was forced to spend the first four weeks at home rather than on the field with his teammates.
But since his return, Brady hasn't had much to say about his suspension or the 18-month circus that was DeflateGate. Instead, the four-time Super Bowl champion has focused on the positives he was able to take from the situation, and in the end, he has a much greater appreciation for his career, the Patriots, and the game of football.
"Life has an interesting way of putting a lot of things in perspective. I'm an optimistic, positive person. I take the positives out of everything," Brady told Scott Zolak on Friday's Patriots All Access on WBZ-TV (you can watch the full episode here). "When you learn something, even if it was a challenging time, when you learn it becomes a positive. To watch my teammates perform the way they did, to see the way the coaches fought -- I have said to a lot of people it's good to be a Patriot and it's good to be a Patriots fan. There are a lot of people working hard to go out every week and win those games. It's good to be a part of it."
Brady has been playing at a whole new level since returning, completing 73.1 percent of his passes for 1,319 yards, 12 touchdowns and zero interceptions while guiding the Patriots to a 4-0 record. Not even the NFL could deny those gaudy numbers the recognition they deserve, naming Brady their Player of the Month for October. Brady is even atop the MVP discussion despite missing four games of the season.
It's crazy to think that Brady is even better now, approaching the age of 40, than he was in his late 20s. But that's the product of a player who is always looking to improve at his craft.
Look no further than his refined footwork in and out of the pocket. Once a sloth-like scrambler in the open field, Brady has been able to add another valuable part to his already lethal arsenal.
"Your game always changes and evolves. As you learn more and learn things that work and don't work, you always try to incorporate those things," Brady said of his evolution as a player. "When I went to high school I was the slowest guy on the team. When I showed up in college I was the slowest guy on the team. When I showed up here I was the slowest guy on the team. Those are things you have to work at. It's still not my strong suit, but it's better than it used to be. To understand the unique ways to work on those things, and kind of add that element to your game, is very important."
In New England's Week 8 win over the Bills, Brady used his legs to move the chains with a 15-yard scamper on a 3rd-and-5 play. He also did it in Week 7 in a victory in Pittsburgh, picking up five yards on third down when the Patriots needed two. Both drives ended with the Patriots in the end zone.
"Those are important and demoralizing to the teams we play against," said Brady. "They're not thinking about me running, and if I can make one or two of those plays it helps our offense."
Brady said his body is just starting to feel like it's football season, which is a scary thought for the rest of the NFL. If those first four weeks were just a warm-up act, imagine what he has in store for the final eight weeks of the regular season -- and beyond.
The QB has already shown he's at the top of his game this season. But being Brady, he's still eager to improve as the Patriots hit their bye at 7-1.
"It's a good place to be. I wish we were 8-0, but 7-1 puts you in a good position. Coach always says seven wins doesn't get you anything in this league, and he's right. We have a big second half coming up," he said. "Hopefully guys can use this week as a way to recalibrate where we're at, see what we can do better, understand what we've done well and try to use those improvements going forward."
Tune in to Patriots All Access every Friday night at 7 p.m. on WBZ-TV -- the flagship station of the New England Patriots.
