Tom Brady Downplays Patriots-Ravens Rivalry: 'All These Games Are Kind Of The Same'

FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens have a history, to say the least.

The teams have squared off in more than a half-dozen highly dramatic games over the years, including one in three of the last five postseasons. And Patriots fans have not forgotten the Ravens’ latest off-the-field contribution to the rivalry — tipping off the Indianapolis Colts to the controversy that later exploded into Deflategate.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, however, insisted he doesn’t harbor any animosity toward the Ravens for their role in the scandal that ultimately cost him the first four games of this season.

“For me personally? I think all these games are kind of the same,” Brady said Thursday. “I just look at the opponent, look at what they do, and the only thing that matters is what we do this week in practice and in a game. So I think you just try to put everything aside, whether it was (Deflategate) or whether it was a playoff game a couple of years ago, whether it was a regular-season game a couple of years ago or championship games. None of those really matter.

“It’s really going to be about what this team does this week, and Coach (Bill Belichick) is trying to put a lot of urgency on that. And we understand that. We know we’re facing a team that’s 7-5. They’re top of their division. They have a lot of confidence in what they do, and so do we. So it’s going to be a good, tough matchup.”

The Patriots (10-2) and Ravens (7-5) both would be playoff teams if the season ended today. New England can clinch its eighth consecutive AFC East title with a win and a Miami Dolphins loss this weekend.

“They’ve got two pretty good teams playing (in the Patriots and Ravens),” Brady said. “I think it’s two teams that are kind of similar, that are very mentally and physically tough. I think both teams are going to be at their best.”