Although this maxim is deeply coated in league-wide paranoia, the football world at large has been waiting for Tom Brady's eventual descent. Following Thursday's 42-27 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, some postulated that the 40-year-old quarterback was finally on track to submit a pedestrian season.
Brady essentially sneered in the face of those critics during one of the best statistical performances of his career versus the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, dicing up his opponent with 30-of-39 passing for 447 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. During the victory, Brady found nine different receivers, rendering the New England Patriots' offense impossible to account for.
We really ought to know not to count Brady out at this juncture. Perhaps it's because of his rote, calculated demeanor that football fans everywhere are rooting for his demise. Others are simply tired of the Patriots' seemingly endless stretch of dominance, with Brady at the forefront. Regardless, there have been factions of fans and analysts alike expecting age-related regression from the veteran. Thursday may have served as a tease, but it'll simply have to wait as the Patriots looked every bit the part of defending champions.
Sunday's victory was emblematic of what's been expected of the modern Patriots' offense, with Brady using short and intermediate routes to his advantage, selectively picking his downfield spots against an anemic Saints' secondary. The Patriots sprinkled in seven different rushes as well, keeping their opponent at bay while operating at a high-octane pace that no other team can sustain.
Brady's 447 passing yards is the third-highest single-game total of his career. Despite a mediocre showing against a valiant Chiefs defense, it was way too early to count him out. History would dictate that we should've known this already.
