Brady on D&C: 'Flattered' to be in MVP race

Tom Brady made his weekly appearance on the Dennis & Callahan show Tuesday, the morning after he threw for 296 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-14 rout of the Texans. When asked how the Patriots were able to so easily handle a team that entered the game with an 11-1 record, Brady was quick to praise the work of the coaching staff in readying the players for the matchup.

"Coach Belichick does that better than anybody who has ever coached," said Brady. "And coach McDaniels does that better than any offensive coordinator I've ever been with, and Matt Patricia gets those guys ready on defense. That's complementary football, that is Patriots football."

Brady's wife Gisele Bundchen gave birth to a baby girl at the couple's home last Wednesday. Brady was asked if all that comes with the arrival of a new baby made for a difficult week of preperation for the Texans.

"Not difficult at all, to tell you the truth," said Brady. "We had an extra day to prepare, and I tried to get ahead. I've always been trying to get ahead these last few weeks. When our little girl came I was where I needed to be, so it was just great. She was born at night and I was able to go in the next night and miss just a little bit of the meetings in the morning and get right to work. Everything was taken care of at home."

Already a two-time winner of the MVP, Brady looks to be the favorite for a third MVP honor after Monday night. The fans at Gillette had several "MVP" chants directed toward Brady, who now has 29 touchdown passes against four interceptions on the season and a league-best 104.2 passer rating. 

"I heard it. I'm very flattered to even be considered for something like that," Brady said of the MVP. "Honestly, the most important thing for me is winning games and enjoying it with my teammates. Everything that I do is dependent on them, on the group of guys that I play with, and the successful years we've had with our team has been all about team football. That's what our team has been built on, and that's what our team is about."

It's a short week for the Patriots, who will face the 9-3-1 49ers on Sunday night at Gillette Stadium. Brady told Dennis & Callahan he already has watched plenty of tape on the 49ers defense and is very impressed with a group that has allowed just 184 points, fewest in the NFL.

"One of the best that I've ever seen," Brady said. "Physical, extremely physical in the secondary with the safeties, two safeties who are phenomenal players in Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner, good solid group of corners, two of the best linebackers in NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis, guys that can rush the quarterback in Justin Smith and Aldon Smith. They can rush, they can cover, they can stop the run, they can blitz. They really allow their guys to do things that they are good at. It's going to be fun, they've got a great group, I haven't played the 49ers in a long time and I'm always excited to play the 49ers."

To hear the interview, click on the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page [1]. For more Patriots news, visit weei.com/patriots [2].