After the New England Patriots blew out the Los Angeles Chargers to advance to the 2018 AFC Championship Game, Tom Brady made an uncharacteristically bold declaration.
“I know everyone thinks we suck and can’t win any games,” Brady told CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson. “So we’ll see.”
“Suck” was a bit of an exaggeration, but after an uneven regular season that saw them win just three of eight games away from Gillette Stadium, the Patriots were not viewed as Super Bowl favorites entering the 2018 playoffs. Many pundits even predicted the Chargers, who’d gone 12-4 to the Patriots’ 11-5, would knock off Brady and Co. at Gillette in the divisional round.
“Do Your Job Part III: Bill Belichick and the 2018 Patriots” and “America’s Game: 2018 Patriots,” which premiere Wednesday, Sept. 4 on NFL Network, reveal just how much this outside criticism motivated last year’s New England squad.
“I think he’s genuinely pissed off that people think we suck,” wide receiver Julian Edelman says of Brady’s postgame call-out in “America’s Game.” “100 percent.”
“He just brought up something that everyone’s been saying about us throughout the whole year, and he’s sticking up for our whole team,” now-retired tight end Rob Gronkowski adds. “He’s sticking up for the whole organization by saying that.”
In offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ eyes, Brady’s comments had a unifying effect.
“It was really a cool thing to see,” McDaniels says in “Do Your Job,” “because it kind of galvanizes your team and brings your team — that was already really closely knit — even closer together.”
Belichick, meanwhile, was more than happy to use this skepticism over the Patriots’ Super Bowl chances to inspire his troops.
“Don’t believe all the other (expletive) out there about how bad we are and how bad we suck and all that, how old we are,” the head coach says during a never-before-seen postgame speech late in the regular season that’s featured in “Do Your Job.” “Just keep doing what we’re doing.”
Edelman also used the questioning of Brady’s abilities to motivate the 42-year-old quarterback. In various NFL Films productions released after the AFC title game, the wideout could be seen bellowing “You’re too old!” in Brady’s face following a touchdown pass to Phillip Dorsett.
“Everyone kept saying it, so you let him know,” a smirking Edelman says in “America’s Game.” “You agree with them sometimes. He’s too old to make those throws. Bombs in Arrowhead for touchdowns. You’ve got to let him know sometimes. You’ve got to let him know you’re agreeing with the people.”
The Patriots’ 37-31 overtime victory over the Chiefs was their first road playoff win since the 2006 postseason. Two weeks later, they smothered the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in one of the best defensive performances in Super Bowl history to win their third title in five years.
“You appreciate any time you get to play in a Super Bowl, but there was a little extra oomph,” Edelman says. “This was a long year. We weren’t supposed to be here. Everyone thinks we’re going to lose. Everyone thinks we’re not good enough, our time’s over. But we’re here, and we’re ready to work.”
Adds Gronkowski: “Whenever you’re at the top like that, people just make up stuff — just saying the Patriots dynasty is done They’ve said it every year. And one year, they will be right. But they’ve never been right yet.”
“Do Your Job Part III” premieres at 8 p.m. ET next Wednesday on NFL Network, with “America’s Game: 2018 Patriots” following at 9 p.m.
