Tom Brady on the first half, offensive struggles, the Jimmy Garoppolo trade, and return of Brian Hoyer

Tom Brady didn’t hold his weekly press conference with the local media because of the bye week, but he sat down with radio analyst Scott Zolak for a segment on this week’s edition of Patriots All-Access.” To check out the full interview, click here, but here are a few highlights of their conversation:



Summing up the first half of the season: “Being 2-2, and losing to Carolina in that moment, then four weeks later being 6-2, it’s good for all of us. I wish we’d be 8-0, but that’s not where we’re at. There’s been a lot of ups, but there’s been some downs. Hopefully, we can play our biggest games as we move forward.”

On self-scouting during the bye week: “I’m always working on my techniques. My fundamentals. That’s a daily thing for me. You don’t want to just … you can get a percentage or two off a week, and over the course of five weeks, you’re 10 percent off of where you want to be, whether it’s certain quarterbacking techniques or things like that. So you have to really stay sharp. I’m seeing a lot of those things so I can watch it daily and know what I’m looking for. You’ve got to be sharp.”

On red-zone struggles keeping him up at night: “I think everything keeps me up at night. The expectations are so high. The standards that have been set here, they’re just high for everybody. And everybody wants to do a great job. There’s a lot of effort. Guys are putting in a lot of work. We just have to get the job done. At the end of the day, it’s throwing and catching and just making the right reads. We have to do a better job of that as we move forward.”

On being able to catch defenses with 12 men on the field — do you practice that? “We talk about that a lot. I think that’s a great advantage, especially in those situations where it’s third-and-4, third-and-3, and you know if you can get it, it’s an automatic first down. I think we’ve gotten a few of those this year, where everyone is really clued in. It’s one thing to have the quarterback know, but everyone has got to know. Everyone has to be set so we can play fast. You can’t be moving and snap the ball. So everyone has to be set. If you get those free five yards, it’s a great momentum builder for the offense.”

On the Jimmy Garoppolo trade — surprised? “Any time at this time of year, it’s … surprise would be the word. I’ve been sitting in the quarterback room with him for a long time, and I’ve said that he’s a great teammate and a great friend and always will be. I always enjoyed working with him, and I wish him nothing but the best.”

Do you see that trade as an expression of faith in you and the way you perform? “I think this team in general has put itself in a great position to be successful. The coaches, the players. And I love being a part of that. I wake up every day thinking how I want to help this team win, and the work I need to put in so I can really be held accountable for what I do, so I can be really dependable for the team. We’ve had a great thing going. Hopefully, we can keep doing it.”

On his performance serving as validation for the lifestyle he believes in: “I think it’s hugely important. I’ve just learned a certain way that works for me, and I try and incorporate those things into my daily life, and it’s year-round. I try to make a big commitment because it means a lot for me to be out on the field with our team. It’s a big commitment for me to be out there. I take that very seriously. I know the team pays me a certain amount of money, and I feel like it’s my responsibility to do everything I can to be out there. And that just doesn’t happen in the fall. It happens year-round. So I put a lot of effort in to try and do that. I maintain things. The routine has evolved over time. I just spend the time working at it, and I think I can keep going. As long as I feel good, I know I can think. It takes a little effort and discipline. But as long as I can do that, I know I can be successful on the field.”

On Brian Hoyer’s return: “It’s actually fun talking football with him. He’s seen a lot of different offenses, so when there’s someone else who has been around other people, (you say): ‘Hey, I like this. How did that work? What did you guys do here?’ That football knowledge that he’s accumulated is what I think is different from when he left here. We’ve always stayed in touch. We’ve been great friends since we met. It’s been fun.”