New England Patriots: Tom Brady is hurting, but still very dangerous

It’s clear New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is hurting, but the 42-year-old quarterback is still a very dangerous factor in the AFC.

The New England Patriots offense hasn’t been very good this year and it is not just because of offense line issues or lack of playmakers at the wide receiver and tight end positions. The quarterback play has not been great.

That’s right. Tom Brady has struggled for the majority of the season. But that doesn’t mean he is nearing the cliff Mr. Max Kellerman.

While the offensive line isn’t the only issue with the offense, it is certainly a part of the reason. At the age of 42, Brady is getting hit more than he should. That is forcing him to rush throws and throw the ball away more than he has in the past.

But, even when Brady does have the time, he is missing some throws fans are accustomed to him making. Which leads to injury concerns that New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick admitted to during his press conference with the media Tuesday.

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When asked about the readiness of backup quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler, Mr. Belichick offered some information about Tom Brady the team has consistently kept shush in season’s past.

"“Those guys are always ready to go,” Belichick said of his backup QB’s, via Patriots.com. “It’s an opportunity for them. It’s hard to practice three quarterbacks, but there have been a couple examples where Tom hasn’t been able to do a lot this year, so that’s given Stidham an opportunity to go with the first group and run our plays and run our offense, and that’s been good for him. It’s given Cody an opportunity to run more scout team plays because Jarrett’s not taking those. So, quarterbacks are always looking for more work. They’ve taken advantage of it. I think it’s helped them.”"

That may also explain why Tom Brady is having issues connecting and finding chemistry with some of his receivers. Even with Julian Edelman there has been some missed connection, which would prove to be more evidence that Brady’s right elbow is a problem right now.

At his age and all the wear and tear he has taken in almost two decades of lining up behind center, ailments are going to happen. But what toll is it taken on Brady mentally?

In what certainly seems like his last season as a New England Patriots quarterback, (whether retirement or he plays somewhere else), Tom Brady has shown signs that he still has some elite quarterback play left in him.

While the hype is surrounding young quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes II, Tom Brady still has the most playoff experience and the ability to rise up when the game is on the line. That still makes him very dangerous…if healthy.

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What also makes him a dangerous factor once the playoffs roll around is his fiery passion and his dedication to proving the world wrong. In having a pretty mediocre season statistically, Tom Brady will find a way to get that New England Patriots offense rolling.

He may be recognizing this is his last run, so better believe he is going to give it everything he got because he’s not done yet.

In fact, the Patriots overall may seem more vulnerable than ever, but they are still here and if the players around Brady do their job, the defending Super Bowl champions will be a tough out. Want to bet against them?

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