Most NFL players would tell you they love opening the season on Thursday night: You’re well-rested from the offseason, and you get three extra days off to prepare for Week 2.
But Tom Brady isn’t most NFL players, and as far as the New England Patriots are concerned, Thursday night wasn’t most season openers.
The Patriots fell to the Kansas City Chiefs 42-27 at home in a shocking Week 1 upset that led to Brady and other New England veterans questioning the team’s attitude. And while the Pats usually don’t let losses linger, Brady admitted Monday morning he didn’t enjoy having the extra time to dwell on the ugly defeat.
“It actually kind of sucked having three extra days to think about it and rewatch the game,” Brady said during his weekly appearance on WEEI’s “Kirk & Callahan,” via WEEI.com. “The good thing about football season — when it is Sunday to Sunday, Monday you watch (the previous game) and by Tuesday you’re on to the next team. I have kind of moved on to the next team, but we haven’t really done that formally as a team. We’re doing that (Monday).
“It kind of sucked. Maybe it is good to stick with us longer and make us continue to evaluate and nitpick and so forth.”
Brady has a point, as head coach Bill Belichick likely found plenty to critique from Patriots-Chiefs over the last three days. X’s and O’s aside, though, Brady still believes his team needs to improve its mental approach heading into Sunday’s road matchup against the New Orleans Saints.
“It’s execution, it’s attitude, it’s competitiveness, it’s urgency, it’s everything,” Brady added. “We just have to do a better job. We played against a good football team, (and) we just didn’t get the job done.”
The Patriots officially are onto New Orleans, but not before taking a bit of an extended look in the mirror.
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
