QB-TOM BRADY(On life with the Patriots this season) 1-12-05
'We feel good about our game. The first Pittsburghgame we didn't play well and then we had the last-second loss to Miamiwhich was tough. The year started well with Week One against the Colts. Having this week off was nice for everyone mentally and physically. It is a tremendous team we are going to play this Sunday.'
QB-TOM BRADY(On the Colts defense) 1-12-05
"They led the league in takeaways and they have a couple of guys who can really rush the passer. They have playmakers in the secondary. (Nick) Harper always seems to make a few plays out there. (Jason) David is filling in well on the left side of the field. Idrees Bashir is a darn good player. (Mike) Doss has been good for awhile. The linebackers are active. It is a very solid defense."
QB-TOM BRADY(On the difference between the Colts the first week of the season and going into this week) 1-12-05
"The defense hasn't changed a lot since Week One. It seems like they are playing very well right now. They can really get after the passer. Anytime you can get after the passer you see a lot of interceptions and a lot of sacks. It is kind of an explosive defense. It seems like the defense can score some points, too."
QB-TOM BRADY(On whether the officials have been calling more penalties against the defense on passing plays this season) 1-12-05
"To tell the truth, I have not noticed it all. Teams we play are continuing to play the same style. Teams like Miamimake contact with the receiver and it doesn't get called. We have just learned to play through it. We are not expecting anything. The times I do see it called, it seems like there is not a whole lot of contact at all."
QB-TOM BRADY(On why some players can rise to the moment and some can't) 1-12-05
"I don't think I look at myself like that. It is very individualistic. It is game by game. There are times in crunch situations where guys play really well and the next week they don't play so well. There are games like that that we have had. There are games you would like to play your best and you don't play your best. We have done a nice job in the playoffs the past couple of years. We have played a bunch of teams that have been – last year playing Tennesseeand Indianapoliswas a tough a challenge as we had all year. We expect very much the same. We are playing a team with one of the best quarterbacks of all time."
QB-TOM BRADY(On whether things slow down for you when the pressure is on) 1-12-05
"My understanding of that is it is getting easier to read because you are more experienced. I find that I am the most comfortable going into games when I am the most prepared. It is like taking test. When you study for the test over and over and you know the material you just go out and perform with confidence. In our case, whether it is a playoff or a regular season game that is the test for a player. There are times when you are not really prepared. That is when things don't go well. I really try as hard as I can to prepare myself each week. It does take on a different meaning in the playoffs. The focus seems to be that much sharper. The urgency level reaches a different level. It needs to because you can't afford any lost opportunities when you play another team that is one of the best in the league."
QB-TOM BRADY(On the pressure Peyton Manning is facing this week as the MVP and never having won in Foxboro) 1-12-05
"There is always pressure on the quarterback in the NFL and Peyton seems to handle it as well as anybody. He is an incredible player. He seems to get better every week. Every year he just raises his game. He has some guys on his team who are great players. What a great group of receivers he has. Their offensive line does a great job and the running backs – Edgerrin James and Dominic Rhodes – are great runners."
QB-TOM BRADY(On if he finds it interesting he has won two Super Bowls but nobody is asking Peyton Manning about Tom Brady…everybody is asking Brady about Peyton) 1-12-05
"That's just kind of the story line about the game. I have gotten more than my fair share of the attention the past couple of years. I like it when the emphasis is placed on the entire group. No one person is going to go out there and win the game on Sunday."
QB-TOM BRADY(On how New Englandadjusts when it plays a team that has a speed guy on the edge like Dwight Freeney) 1-12-05
"You always try to account for him in pass protection. You hate to leave one guy on him the entire day. We have seen tape on when he has ruined the game for the other team. When he is not sacking the quarterback he is rushing the quarterback and forcing him to throw interceptions. You have to make certain he doesn't take over the game. He is capable of doing that."
QB-TOM BRADY(On what goes into New England making so few mistakes the past few years and inducing so many) 1-12-05
"Our team has taken a lot of pride in practicing the way we want to play. We try to do a very good job at executing the plays. There are plenty of mistakes that we make. We are fortunate the last couple of years that a lot of the mistakes we have made have not forced us to lose the game."
QB-TOM BRADY(On developing a sense that if the Pats hang in there the other guys are eventually going to make a mistake) 1-12-05
"You like to keep the pressure on the other teams. We like to let them know that on every play on offense we are going to try to be scoring points and on defense we are going to make it hard for them to gain every yard."
