Patriot Wane: What's Eating Tom Terrific?

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Trying to figure out the 2009 New England Patriots is like trying to punch a puddle: not very successful and ultimately, painful.

They're an enigma wrapped in a riddle, wrapped in a Rubik's cube with the stickers peeled off. As soon as you think you have them pinned down, the next Sunday rolls around and everything changes.

In truth, it's been difficult to get a bead on anybody on this team, but Tom Brady may be the hardest man to figure out.

He throws frozen ropes for touchdowns, then he misses open receivers. He throws inch-perfect lasers, then he overthrows his man by five feet. He looks off a safety brilliantly, then he stares down his receiver and nearly throws an interception.

And we thought Brett Favre was the king of waffling.

So far he's managed to guide his team to a 2-1 record, but Tom Terrific's been anything but and he's not even close to being on the same page as his receivers.

Whenever it seems as though he's getting himself into a rhythm, he'll overthrow his man, have it carom off someone's hands, or simply miss an open shirt.

Take the opening drive of the third quarter. In the previous two games, Brady has exhibited a pattern that is becoming all too familiar: he's skittish early, especially when facing a blitz, but settles into a rhythm—as long as he's got plenty of field in front of him.

It was the same song, different verse on this particular possession. Coming out of the huddle fired up, here's how Brady's pass attempts played out in order:

2nd-and-7, NE 36: short left to Moss for six.

1st-and-10, ATL 43: incomplete deep right to Watson (high ball, right off his hands)

2nd-and-10, ATL 43: short left to Chris Baker for six.

3rd-and-4, ATL 37: short left to Joey Galloway for eight (his first catch of the game, finally)

1st-and-10, ATL 29: pass deep left to Ben Watson (phenomenal throw and catch) for 23.

2nd-and-4, ATL 4: incomplete short middle to Randy Moss (forced a throw to Moss, lucky to not be intercepted)

3rd-and-4, ATL 4: incomplete right to Moss (tight spiral, just missed his mark)

It just seemed like Brady was half a bubble off of plum with his receivers all day, especially close to the goal line. He ended up 4-for-7 for 43 yards and a field goal on the drive, but it sure wasn't pretty.

Between the 20s he was great through much of the day, but in the red zone it seemed like he just couldn't get it done. On this drive, in particular, as soon as they got the ball inside the five Brady just lost his fluency with the offense.

On the second to last play, on 2nd-and-4 inside Atlanta's five, Moss broke across the middle past his defender early, extending a hand indicating he was open. Brady waited half a beat before throwing to him, which was half a beat too long as the ball should've been picked off.

The next play the Patriots lined up with Moss out wide, matched up one-on-one, for the old "laser to Moss' back shoulder" routine.

But this time, Brady threw it high and too far behind his target, forcing New England to end another promising drive with Stephen Gostkowski trotting out with the kicking unit.

What filled the gaps between all those pass attempts was Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris moving the ball with authority, going for 36 yards on five carries to push the Patriots into the red zone.

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