Shortly before the Patriots tied the game 3-3 in the second quarter, Brady was hit low after throwing an incompletion.
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“I’m pretty sore”, Brady admitted during the post-game presser, “but it will be all right”. There was still time on the clock but Miami’s defense came up big, sacking Brady twice and forcing another punt. “I just do what I can to make sure that decision is in my favor”. Obviously, however big he is – 300 pounds – and he just kind of collapses on the back of your legs, there is going to be some residual damage to that.
The defending Super Bowl champions are not playing like the team to beat right now. After having the opportunity to win against the Miami Dolphins and clinch home-field advantage in the AFC, the Patriots chose to lose and secure the No. 2 seed in the AFC.
“Our level of consistency hasn’t really been up to the standards that we need it to be”, Brady said. They allowed a five-play, 80 yard game winning touchdown drive in overtime against the Jets. It’s how you play.
Holding onto the ball will be key for the Patriots in the coming weeks, if they play good enough football to advance.
Even if Brady is near 100 percent and the bulk of the banged up players are on the field in their usual roles, Belichick knows his team is under the gun to get back to playing its best football at the most important time of year.
Brady was in the pocket early in the second quarter when Suh came around from his right. The ridiculous penalties including a 4 game suspension for all pro Quarterback Tom Brady, as well as a one million dollar fine against the organization, and a loss of a 2016 first round draft.
What was a penalty-filled first half for the Dolphins, they pulled it together and held the New England Patriots to only three points, which is impressive given all the weapons that they have on offense. “We have always shown that we can do things, but just doing it consistently week in and week out, that’s challenging”. I thought that was a problem across the board. But now, after a season filled with injuries that were not-quite-season-ending, the Pats will be a different team in the post season, but how soon can the walking wounded step in and produce? There would be injuries the Patriots would have a hard time recovering from, most notably the loss of wide receiver, Julian Edelman to a broken foot in week 10. Linebacker Dont’a Hightower was limited to 12 games because of a knee injury.
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The Patriots’ quick strike to start the second half did not foreshadow the rest of the game in any way. All three have had incredibly solid seasons and have enabled the Patriots to fill part of the void Vince Wilfork left, replace Revis, and ease up on Ninkovich and Jones at the defensive end spots.
