ASHBURN — It’s a go-to story for receiver Donte Stallworth, his revealing tale about what it was like to play with New England quarterback Tom Brady.
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Here it is: It’s 2007, and everything’s going right for the Patriots. Brady calls a play in the huddle. Stallworth is a little confused about what he should do. So he asks Brady as they break the huddle what he wanted.
“He looks at me. He looks at the defense,” Stallworth said, “and he says, ‘Just go deep.’?”
| Note |
| Stephen Bowen‘s season off the field was tough enough. It got even harder Sunday. Bowen’s mother-in-law died early Sunday morning, about eight hours before the Redskins played the New York Jets. After going home to be with his wife, Bowen returned with her blessing to play the Jets. It’s the second time he has dealt with personal tragedy this season, having lost an infant son, born prematurely, this summer. Yet he has played well, which is why he was named the Redskins’ Ed Block Courage Award winner. One player from each team receives this award, with one player eventually winning for the whole league. “When I’m on the field it’s all about football. Last game was really hard. I was losing focus a lot,” Bowen said. “I don’t wish for anybody to go through the stuff I’ve been through. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.” Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett said, “He doesn’t let his business get out when he comes here. He’s one of the better players I’ve been around in a long time. With all he’s gone through … the character part has been outstanding.” |
So he did. And 70 yards later Stallworth had a touchdown reception.
“I was like, ‘Man this guy’s incredible,’?” Stallworth said.
Yes, he sort of is. That is, if you consider 30 touchdown passes this season and 291 for a career incredible. The Redskins’ job Sunday is to slow Brady and the NFL’s second-ranked offense. The Patriots (9-3) will run the ball, but they have 137 more pass attempts than runs.
That means stopping Brady — or at least containing him — is a must. The coverage has to give the rush time to pressure Brady. The rush must be quick enough to force a hurried throw. But only a consistent rush will do.
“A little pressure isn’t going to have him scared,” said Redskins nose tackle Barry Cofield, who was part of the Giants team that upset Brady’s Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. “He’s seen it all. At the same time you have to harass him, and you’ve got to hit him. You’ve got to move him off his mark. If you let him go out and throw it around, he’s going to set records.”
Stallworth and Jabar Gaffney played with Brady — both were with him in 2007 when they went 18-1 — and saw what he can do up close when everything is right — as it often is. Gaffney caught 85 passes in 43 games with the Patriots.
“You do things right it can be a fun offense to play in and an exciting offense to watch,” Gaffney said. “… The way he can dictate a defense and move guys around, he can move a safety out of position and hit you on a play where another quarterback may not be able to move a defensive back like that.”
Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett said, “He’s seen everything. Nothing really fazes him. … If he’s not the greatest, he’s got to be in the top one, two, three. He’s unbelievable. You don’t really see over the last two years — looking at film — a bad game.”
That doesn’t mean Cofield couldn’t take a little jab at Brady. He saw an opening in Brady’s role as a pitchman for UGG shoes.
“It’s a funny commercial. If anyone can make UGGs cool, he’s the guy to do it,” Cofield said. “I don’t think he regrets that. He knew he was going to take a lot of heat for it and they were going to make fun of him. He’s married to a supermodel. He’s got rings. What are you going to say? He’s Tom Brady. The only way you can hurt Tom Brady is win.”
