Tom Brady stepped on the field Sunday for a meaningful football game for the first time since last seasons AFC Championship game. This was Brady’s first game since returning from his four game suspension, from the deflategate controversy. And it looked like he didn’t miss a beat at all from to his time off. Brady completed 28 of his 40 passes for 406 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also had a 96.3 quarterback rating (http://www.nfl.com/player/tombrady/2504211/profile).
If you were watching the game, you thought that Brady was at his best. But according to the man himself, that isn’t true. “There was plenty of rust. I could do better in a lot of areas. It was a good win today, but it was one game,” said Brady. It’s not surprising that Brady is downplaying the game a little bit. Yes, it was a great performance for him and the team, but he also knows that there is a long way to go. But Brady saying that there was plenty of rust could be a scary thing for the rest of the NFL. “”I feel better now at 39 than I was at 29,” said Brady.
Granted, they were playing arguably the worst team in the NFL — the Cleveland Browns. But Patriots fans have to be excited about their team going forward. They survived the four games without Brady, going 3-1. And now with Brady back, the team is most likely once again considered the favorites in the AFC. Looking ahead, the Patriots have challenges. And it starts this upcoming Sunday in Brady’s first game at home this season against the Cincinnati Bengals, followed by a game in Pittsburgh against the Steelers. And as for this Sunday, Gillette Stadium should be rocking for Brady’s return.