FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots aren’t surprised when their quarterback rips apart an opposing defense anymore.
Tom Brady completed 78.6 percent of his passes Sunday, going 33 of 42 for 358 yards with two touchdowns, including the 400th of his career, in the Patriots’ 51-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was just another day at the office, though, according to wide receiver Julian Edelman.
“Par for the course,” Edelman said. “He works his tail off, and everything he does, you understand why. It’s great seeing him lead our team.”
Brady currently is on pace for 48 touchdowns, 5,931 yards and, most importantly, no interceptions while completing 72.2 percent of his passes and averaging 8.4 yards per attempt — the best stat line of his career. If he keeps this up, there’s no doubt he’ll take home his third NFL MVP award.
Brady declined to comment on if this is the best he’s ever played.
“You know, I’m just happy we’re 3-0, so thank you,” Brady said.
Running back Dion Lewis, who started his third consecutive game for the Patriots, only has been around Brady since the spring, but he’s already used to seeing his quarterback dominate the competition.
“He’s probably the best one out there right now,” Lewis said. “He works hard, so everything that he does, we’re used to it. He’s such a great professional and a great teammate.”
Brady’s performance wasn’t the norm for wide receiver Keshawn Martin, who was acquired from the Houston Texans after Week 1. Martin made his Patriots debut Sunday and caught three passes for 33 yards and one touchdown.
Martin is used to playing with the likes of Matt Schaub, Case Keenum, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Ryan Mallett, so going from the Texans to the Patriots was a dramatic step up.
“He’s just a great quarterback,” Martin said of Brady. “He’s one of the smartest guys — probably the smartest guy to play the position. He just knows what to do with the ball. He makes life as a receiver easier.”
The Patriots are heading into their early bye week, but Brady should be able to continue his tear through the NFL in Week 5 and beyond. The Patriots play the Dallas Cowboys and Indianapolis Colts in the coming weeks, and neither team is exactly known for its defense.
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
