FOXBORO, Mass. — Next month will mark the 10th anniversary of the last time Tom Brady hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.
So, you can see why a divisional-round win — even one as thrilling and memorable as Saturday’s 35-31 dispatching of the Baltimore Ravens — only carries so much importance for the New England Patriots quarterback.
“Well, after this weekend there will be four teams standing,” Brady said Saturday night. “Every team starts the year with great hope and we were one of those teams and we’re still standing, so it feels good. We have a great opportunity ahead of us to play a championship game at home. We’re going to need our best week, obviously playing the first- or second-best — one of the best teams in the AFC who’s earned the right to be here. We’ve certainly earned and we’re proud of it, but we have bigger goals ahead.”
The next step in achieving those bigger goals awaits next Sunday, when the Patriots will take the field in the AFC Championship Game for the fourth consecutive season. They’ll play the winner of Sunday’s matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos.
“That’s what you play for,” head coach Bill Belichick said. “You play to win your division, you play to be in the postseason and then you play to be in the AFC Championship Game and see what happens after that. That’s what it’s all about. That’s what you work all year for, is to get to this point. Thankfully, we’ll be playing next week.”
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
