Tom Brady Breaks Down Patriots-Texans Divisional Round Clash

Tom Brady will see if the New England Patriots take one step closer to their first Super Bowl title without the iconic quarterback when they play the Houston Texans this Sunday.

The Patriots legend discussed the second-round matchup involving his former team Thursday on FS1’s “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.” Brady started by addressing concerns about how New England will handle heavyweight opponents.

“When you look at their schedule, the quality of competition hasn’t been what some other teams may have had,” Brady acknowledged. “Now, that doesn’t matter because that’s not the Patriots’ fault. You play who’s on the schedule.”

Brady declared that the Patriots “earned” their spot in the playoffs. He believes they are”riding high on confidence” after a 16-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.

“I thought the Patriots played awesome last week, too,” Brady said. “The Patriots had a great game.”

The seven-time champion expects a raucous environment at Gillette Stadium. A cold winter day could also help the home team, but Brady isn’t sleeping on Houston’s superb defense.

“The Patriot organization knows how to deal with these type of atmospheres,” Brady said. “The fan base, they’ve been waiting for this since I left. It’s going to be rocking. Foxborough, it’s a tough place to play. It’s gonna be cold. But this defense of Houston is ridiculous, and they can put a lot of pressure on you. So, I’m excited.”

Brady is eager to see how his former offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, helps Drake Maye navigate an elite defense. The NFL’s all-time passing leader praised New England’s new star quarterback.

“Drake’s played phenomenal,” Brady said. “He’s thrown the ball so well, so accurate. Downfield throws are awesome. His escapeability, his ability to move in the pocket, his relatability with his teammates. There’s so much to love about him as a player, and that’s why the Patriots are in this position.”

The Patriots may have already defied expectations in Mike Vrabel’s first season as head coach, but Brady doesn’t think anybody would be satisfied if their playoff run ends this Sunday.

“They’re very high expectations in Foxborough,” Brady claimed. “Believe me, they’re thinking one thing: that they’re gonna go in there and kick some butt. But Houston’s gonna have a lot to stay about that.”