FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady acknowledged disappointment with the team’s offense Monday morning, which helped explain why his media session following the team’s 17-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles felt more like it came after a loss.
“It’s just frustration with the offense; we’re trying to grind them out. I’m happy we won on the road, but at the same time, I just wish we’d score more points,” Brady said on “The Greg Hill Show” on sports radio WEEI. “We have to figure out how we can fix our problems as best we can.”
The game marked the first time in Brady’s 20-year career that he played from start to finish and didn’t lead the Patriots in touchdown passes, according to ESPN’s Stats & Information. The Patriots’ lone touchdown pass was thrown by receiver Julian Edelman in the third quarter.
Brady was notably dejected after the game, with his media session lasting just 1 minute, 40 seconds. He had said he was tired after playing a three-hour game, but allowed Monday morning that displeasure with the offense was part of it too.
“As crazy as it sounds, we’re still kind of relatively new; getting familiar with each other on offense,” Brady said on the radio program, while also crediting the Eagles’ defense.
“The strength of our team is our defense and special teams. So on offense, we just have to take advantage when we get opportunities, understand where our strengths lie and try to play to them. Not giving short fields. Not turning the ball over. Try to take advantage when we get into the red area and score touchdowns. That’s kind of where our offense is, and that’s kind of where our team is.”
Brady finished 26-of-47 for 216 yards against the Eagles, and he would have had a touchdown pass if Edelman didn’t drop a strike in the end zone in the second quarter.
Brady’s reference to some personnel on offense getting familiar with each other comes as wide receiver N’Keal Harry, the 2019 first-round draft choice from Arizona State, made his debut Sunday (32 snaps, 3 catches, 18 yards) after opening the season on injured reserve.
Tight end Matt LaCosse, who has missed five games this season, returned from a knee injury Sunday. Also, veteran tight end Benjamin Watson missed the first four games of the season while serving an NFL suspension, was released by the team after that, and then was re-signed; he has played in the past four games.
In addition, veteran receiver Mohamed Sanu was acquired in a late October trade and has played in the past three games, while 2018 first-round pick Isaiah Wynn is eligible to come off injured reserve and play in Sunday’s home game against the Dallas Cowboys.
The Patriots naturally miss retired tight end Rob Gronkowski, and have been adjusting after placing starting fullback James Develin and starting center David Andrews on injured reserve earlier in the year.
“I just wish we would play better offensively,” Brady said in the radio interview. “We have to go do it. I don’t think it’s about talking about it. It’s about doing it and trying to get the best we can out of our offense, and seeing if we can be more productive and score more points.”
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