Brady wants to play
He sees value in regular-season finale
By
Monique Walker
Globe Staff / January 1, 2010
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FOXBOROUGH - The playoff berth is clinched. The last game of the regular season is two days away. Yet Tom Brady isn’t interested in rest. He wants to play Sunday against the Texans in Houston, so much so that he shared his thoughts with coach Bill Belichick.
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Belichick’s response, according to Brady: “You’ll play. Don’t worry about that. You’ll be playing.’’
While some view this as a chance for the Patriots to get players healthy for the playoffs, Brady declared Sunday’s game far from meaningless. If anything, he said, the Patriots are interested in building momentum that could carry over into the postseason.
“I think as players we don’t factor into any of those decisions that Coach Belichick makes,’’ Bra dy said. “It’s our job to prepare to play, and I certainly am. I’m out there doing all of my regular practice stuff.
“I want to play and I want to do great, and I want to have a great game against a team who’s fighting for their playoff lives and has a lot of great players, and really challenges you in some different ways.
“This is a meaningful game for us. It’s a meaningful game for them, too. It would be great for us to go and win on the road in a really tough environment against a good team.’’
The Texans need a victory and some help to make the playoffs. Seedings also could be affected by the result. But with a playoff spot clinched, there has been talk of Patriot players resting. Brady sat out of practice Wednesday with listed injuries to his right shoulder, right finger, and rib, but returned yesterday and had limited participation.
Aside from the health concerns, Sunday’s game could give the Patriots a chance to play with a full lineup, something that hasn’t happened in a while.
Brady was asked his thoughts on the Colts pulling Peyton Manning in the third quarter last Sunday, when they lost to the Jets, ending their undefeated season. Whether an undefeated season is on the line or not, a loss is hard to take, according to Brady.
“Losing in general stinks,’’ Brady said. “My dad said, ‘Are you guys going to play this week?’ Of course, I want to play. I don’t want to lose a game. It’s not like you just forfeit these games for us. I’m playing Houston. I don’t want them in the offseason to see one of these guys and be like, ‘Hey, we beat you guys.’ Screw that. I just think you’ve got to go out there and play.’’
There has been plenty for Brady to build on as he enters this weekend. On Tuesday, he was named to the Pro Bowl for the fifth time, and he was selected AFC Offensive Player of the Week (for the third time this season) for his performance in last Sunday’s 35-7 win over the Jaguars.
If Brady plays in Houston, the possibility exists that he will be hit by the player who ended his 2008 season. Safety Bernard Pollard, now a Texan, was with the Chiefs last year and hit Brady in the left knee, resulting in torn ligaments.
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“I don’t have many feelings toward that,’’ Brady said. “That play has really come and gone in my mind. He’s a real good player for them, does some good things for them. He’s someone we have to do a good job keeping away from the quarterback. No real feelings other than that.’’
Pollard said he isn’t interested in rehashing the past but understood why the topic is of interest and that it may stick with him the rest of his career.
“It doesn’t bother me,’’ Pollard told reporters in Houston. “It happened in the game, and when the game is over, I leave everything on the field. It was nothing intentional. Me and him, we’ve talked indirectly and I’m pretty sure we’ll speak on Sunday. But like I said, it’s football, you take the good with the bad.
“When stuff like that happens to any other quarterback - I’m pretty sure if [Houston’s Matt] Schaub would’ve gone down with something like that, it wouldn’t be as big as it was with Brady. You understand the monster you’re dealing with.’’
Brady returned this season and didn’t appear to show any ill effects from the injury. With a playoff game in the near future, Brady said he is seeing increased consistency from his teammates.
“I think we found some things late in the year that we really like doing and I think the level of play has gone up consistently over the course of the year,’’ Brady said. “It’s a good time for the playoffs for all of us to really be clicking and getting things the way we need them, a lot like we were last week. I’d love to see us go out there and put together another great week.’’
I'd like to add that the story says Brady sat out Wednesday practice and followed up with limited participation on Thursday. That has been common parlance since at least preparing for the 12/13 game vs. Carolina (if not before), and before they were locked in for the playoffs.
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