Not to Tom Brady.
The quarterback didn't become one of the game's best by taking things for granted, and he's taking Sunday's home game against Jacksonville very seriously.
"There are only two teams in the AFC that are really set, so pretty much everyone is playing playoff games this week," Brady said on Wednesday when asked if the players are hoping a win this week will mean rest in Week 17. "Jacksonville is playing a playoff game this week. We’re playing a playoff game this week. I mean, down the stretch, that’s what happens. … We have a lot to play for this week. I don’t think anyone is thinking about resting next week. I think we’re thinking about how to win the game this week and continue to make some improvements. That’s what I think."
With the Patriots practicing on Christmas Day, Brady doesn't seem to mind too much.
"There are a lot of great things that sometimes you may miss out on," he said. "It’s Christmas and everyone feels excited about Christmas, obviously, but we’ll have our time with our families and so forth. We’ve got to win. That will make for a great Christmas."
Bill Belichick noted that this week's game takes on an added level of importance, because a win guarantees the AFC East crown.
"If we could do that this weekend, that would be an accomplishment," the coach said. "You win games along the way and they are important, too. But you can’t really win anything [in those games] — you just get yourself in position. And [now] we’re actually in position to do it. It doesn’t matter what everybody else does. If we win on Sunday, then we’ve achieved one of our goals this year. We’re aware of that."
Brady also said that even though the Patriots have fared well against Jacksonville in the past (4-0), no team can ever be taken lightly in the NFL.
"I can’t imagine ever just thinking, ‘Oh, well this is Jacksonville,’ or ‘This is Buffalo. We’re going to walk all over them.’ That’s when you do get beat and when you start taking things for granted, it doesn’t go very well," he said. "You’ve got to be able to put the work in. This is a very different team than the team we faced a couple years ago, and each year it’s always a different team."
Professor Brady wasn't done.
"Yeah, you just don’t ever want to take things for granted, in football or in life. That’s my lesson for the day."
