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Patriots' Brady Looks Back With Fondness

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 19, 2008

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - At the ripe age of 30, Tom Brady finds himself yearning for the good old days of lost innocence.

As New England's incomparable quarterback prepares for Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the streaking Chargers, Brady can remember a time when the pressure was squarely on the team across the way.

Six years ago, Brady was named Super Bowl MVP after leading New England to a 20-17 upset of the heavily favored Rams.

"I think I was naive back in the day," said Brady, who broke Peyton Manning's regular-season mark with 50 touchdown passes in 2007. "My first couple of years, I thought it was easy. I got to the Super Bowl, hey this is no problem. You start a few games, you're in the Super Bowl and U2 is out there playing on the field. It was a great environment."

Three championships later, it's Brady who is under scrutiny as he tries to keep the 17-0 Patriots perfect against a prohibitive underdog that has reeled off eight consecutive wins.

"I think we all look back at that Super Bowl, anytime it's your first time in those experiences and everything felt like it was so out of control, you can look back and realize how much fun it was," said the league MVP, who has thrown at least one TD pass in 13 consecutive postseason games.

WOUNDED KNEE: The Chargers listed QB Philip Rivers and TE Antonio Gates as doubtful.

Rivers was outstanding at Indy last week before spraining a knee ligament and giving way to Billy Volek. Gates played despite a hyperextended toe and caught two passes in the 28-24 divisional playoff victory at the RCA Dome.

"If he makes progress over the next couple days, I think he's got a chance of playing," San Diego coach Norv Turner said of Rivers, who sprained his other MCL five weeks ago, requiring a brace. "He threw the ball extremely well today."

Rivers took a third of the snaps during Friday's practice, and RB LaDainian Tomlinson, nursing his own knee injury, liked what he saw.

"To me, Rivers looked fine," Tomlinson said. "He actually looked pretty good. In my mind, he's a tough guy, and for him not to be able to play it's going to take a lot."

If Rivers can't go, Volek gives the Chargers an experienced backup. He completed three of four passes against the Colts in his postseason debut, directing a 78-yard drive for the winning score in the fourth quarter.

"Billy's been prepared to play each of the last 18 weeks, and that showed up in the way he played Sunday," Turner said. "He made some great throws."

ANOTHER CHANCE: The Chargers hoped they learned a few painful lessons from a 38-14 setback at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 16.

Brady and Randy Moss combined for two TDs, and LB Adalius Thomas intercepted Rivers and dashed 65 yards for another score in a nationally televised blowout as San Diego failed to avenge a bitter playoff loss to the Patriots.

"The biggest thing is, we were new to each other in Week 2 and we didn't play real well," Turner said.

"New England played at a real high level, so that's not a good combination."

Ira Kaufman

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