Patriots put skid behind them, focus on the playoffs

Foxborough – New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has a sprained right ankle, but is expected to be ready for the team’s divisional round playoff game in two weeks, ESPN is reporting.

Headed into the playoffs, it is absolutely certain that if the New England Patriots are going anywhere this season, they will need to play better football than they have as of late. Over the last seven games (since Julian Edelman was injured), Brady is 88-for-116 (76 percent) when taking less than two seconds, compared to 13-for-48 (27 percent) when taking more than three seconds. The regular season, no matter how it ended, is in the rearview, and now the focus is one game – but three teams. Gronkowski drew constant double-teams as Miami showed little respect for New England’s other weapons.

Although Brady was able to finish the game, it was clear that his ankle was bothering him and even speculation that Bill Belichick would turn to the Patriots backup quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo. “300 pounds, he just collapses the back of your leg, there’s going to be some residual damage from that”, said the reigning Superbowl MVP, who has also missed play time due to an injury only once during his illustrious career – the season-ending knee injury in Week 1 of 2008. No injuries means no additional players for the training staff to accommodate, and everyone is that much closer to getting back on the field and the Patriots are that much closer to being at full strength.

“I didn’t see the replay”, Brady said. However, they got news about the thing that matters most to their playoff success.

All those teams went on to win the Super Bowl. But all of them should be ready for the playoffs, which would be a big boost for New England. The Patriots have lost four of their final six games after starting 10-0. “This business is results oriented, and if you lose you just have to go out there and work harder and prepare and try and get a win”.

After the game, Brady limped off the stage following his postgame press conference.

“Suh’s a big guy”, he said. He was clutch on third down, something he’s struggled with all season long. The Pats were up 14 on the Broncos, getting the ball back about to put the game away and along with it homefield advantage, and suddenly the entire season took a awful turn.

There has been a lot of talk this season over Brady’s personal training coach, Alex Guerrero, keeping his body healthy and performing at an elite level at age 38.