Tom Brady Praises Patriots' Young Offensive Line
BOSTON (CBS) -- Given the way his 2015 season has started, Tom Brady doesn't have much to work on during the Patriots bye week.
The Patriots quarterback has been a man on a mission this season, completing 72 percent of his passes for 1,112 yards and nine touchdowns over the first three games, guiding New England to a perfect 3-0 record.
Still, he will be trying to get even better as the team enjoys its week off from football.
"There are a lot of things I want to improve on," Brady told reporters at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday. "I watch players around the league at my position to see what they're doing well. I always try to become a better player for my team. I constantly work on my mechanics. I try to keep my foot speed; not that it's ever been exceptional but I try to get out of the way of at least one lineman on every Sunday."
Brady hasn't had much of an issue with anything in the early part of the 2015 season, and often times, has looked better than ever. The quarterback points to his great relationship with his crop of receivers for such success.
"We have some veteran players on offense, guys who have worked together for a long time. That continuity certainly helps," Brady said, noting his relationship with Julian Edelman (30 receptions, two touchdowns), Danny Amendola (eight receptions, touchdown) and Rob Gronkowski (16 receptions, four touchdowns). "You can build on things over the course of a lot of practices, a lot of throws, a lot of conversations."
Brady said even if that experience isn't together as Patriots, as was the case with receiver Keshawn Martin, a four-year veteran who was active for New England for the first time Sunday against Jacksonville and caught a 13-yard touchdown, it is still extremely valuable.
"Passing offense is all about anticipation, trust, being on the same page. The only way to do that is to have experience," he said. "It doesn't need to be together; if someone has a lot of experience in the league you have a lot of belief that that person knows how to get open against a pro-caliber corner or safety. You just try to build up on those types of things."
An area of concern heading into the season was with those tasked with protecting Brady. The offensive line lost Dan Connolly to retirement over the offseason, and was then hit with a big loss when center Bryan Stork was placed on the IR just a few days before the season (Stork can return after Week 8). To make matters even more complex, veteran lineman Ryan Wendell hasn't been able to play due to a mysterious illness.
But even with an offensive line made up of three rookies in center David Andrews and guards Shaq Mason and Tre Jackson, Brady has been sacked just six times over the first three weeks. Not to be lost in the youngster shuffle is third-year guard Josh Kline, who has split time with both Mason and Jackson as the rookies getting acquainted to life on the line in the NFL.
While some fans and the media may have been worried about Brady remaining upright until his veteran linemen return, the quarterback hasn't had to give it much thought. That in itself is a pretty high compliment to the young unit.
"I never worry about the offensive line much. We've just been so well-coached over the years and those guys have done such a great job, I've don't think I've ever put a lot of concern in whether those guys are capable of what they're being asked to do," Brady said Wednesday. "We've had a lot of confidence in the guys that have been in there this year. It's one of those things in my career I've been very blessed with, having great players up front who always know what to do. It allows me to focus on what I need to do. If all my mental energy can go to doing my job, that's ultimately where it's best. If I'm worried about the line or the tight ends or the receivers, it takes away from what I'm trying to accomplish.
"A lot of it is having that trust for those guys to be dependable, and they have been this year," he added.
Unfortunately, Brady and his offense have to wait another week before taking aim at their next victim: The Dallas Cowboys. A bye week later in the season is usually the preference among players, but Brady isn't complaining about this early breather.
"Whenever it comes you just deal with it. It goes really quick," he said. "Before you know it, it will be Monday and we'll be back here getting back to work."
As for New England's hot start, tying a franchise-record with 119 points over the first three games, Brady knows they are a long, long way from accomplishing anything.
"It's good to be 3-0; better than 0-3, 1-2 or 2-1. Before we really get to know what we're all about and what other teams are all about, it's good to win the games, however you can win them."
he said. "That's what you have to do at this time of the year. But we have a long road ahead and everyone has to be tuned-in with what we're trying to do in order to accomplish our goals."
The Patriots are off this week, but there is plenty of football on WBZ-TV and 98.5 The Sports Hub this Sunday! Tune in to Dolphins-Jets from London at 9:30am and Chiefs-Bengals at 1pm on WBZ-TV, while 98.5 The Sports Hub has an NFL triple-header, starting with Raiders-Bears at 1pm, Packers-49ers at 4:15pm and Cowboys-Saints at 8:25pm!
