Brady on D&C: Pats 'excited' to play Jets

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady made his weekly appearance on Dennis & Callahan Tuesday morning to discuss New England's win over the Raiders on Sunday and the team's much-anticipated matchup with the Jets this Sunday. 

Brady talked about the Jets defense and how New York will prepare for a Patriots offense that is averaging 507 yards of total offense per game. 

"It will be interesting to see how they play us," Brady said. "I'm glad we have a week to prepare for them. We're going to need it. We're going to be excited to play when we see them on Sunday. It's been a long time since we played them." 

Brady said that New York's defense keys in on what the opposing offense likes to do and tries to take that away. But the Patriots have shown that they now run the ball in addition to their passing attack, as the Patriots racked up 183 yards on the ground against Oakland. 

"We'll try to figure out what they're going to do," Brady said. "It's tough because they're a game-plan defense. Whatever they think they need to do to stop you that particular week, based on how they evaluate your offense, that's what they're going to try to do to stop you. They're going to try to take away your strengths as an offense, and we'll see if they can do that." 

Following are more highlights from the conversation. To hear the interview, go to the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page.

On New England's success running the ball against Oakland: "I thought we did a great job balancing the game out, for the first time in four weeks. It was really a game that was a big part of what we are trying to accomplish. … That's how you become a great offense, is you keep other teams off balance. You run it when you need to run it, you throw it when you need to throw it and you're able to do enough in both areas where they have to respect both and we really did a great job of that." 

On Wes Welker's incredible start: "Can he keep it up? I think if teams continue to play certain coverages. Wes has had a lot of opportunity. I think teams have to play attention to him, but at the same time, we have other guys you have to pay attention to also. Wes is an incredible player. I think the thing about Wes is when he gets his opportunity he takes advantage of it. Whether that's he has a certain route call versus certain coverage and he's the primary read, he's open so he gets the ball. I'm sure other teams, they're really going to focus on him. Teams like the Jets, who are really a game-plan defense, are going to have certain calls for him. And that just means other guys will have opportunities."

On Logan Mankins and the offensive line: "Logan played a hell of game. Our entire offensive line, when you're able to protect, because that's the strength of that defense, is what they have on the inside. But to stop Tommy Kelly and Richard [Seymour] for the entire game, Kamerion Wimbley. To run it and be aggressive in the run game. And then the pass protection was awesome also. They barely got to me. In any of the meaningful situations, we protected." 

On Richard Seymour's unnecessary roughness penalty: "It was really loud at that end of the field. It was right in the Black Hole, we were on like the 10-yard line, first drive of the game and they were going crazy. So I could barely hear the whistle. I knew the clock had run out, so when he kind of came through, he got me and I don't think that was a problem, but then when he threw me on the ground, that was probably more the problem."

On Rob Gronkowski's ability as a run blocker: "I think that's one thing that people really underestimate from him because he's a very good pass receiver he doesn't get a lot of credit for run blocking but when you turn the tape on, he's at the point of attack knocking guys off the ball and sometimes getting couple guys. That's what tight ends are supposed to do. It's no good to just be able to catch passes at that position because then they just treat you like a receiver. But when you're in there and you can run the ball behind him, and he can become a a real threat and you can control the tempo of the game running the ball behind him, that really helps him to set up his opportunities in the passing game."

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