What's Wrong With Tom Brady?

I have had so many people ask me what is wrong with the New England Patriots this year, and more pointedly, they ask me what is wrong with Tom Brady?

My answer? Look, Tom just came off of major reconstructive knee surgery. Yes, his throws are a bit inaccurate, he’s taking longer to make his reads, his mechanics are a bit off, and he’s out of sync with his receivers.

But what do you expect?

He’s been out of football for a year and is adjusting to wearing a knee brace and getting used to playing again!

Last year Peyton Manning missed all of training camp after a knee surgery. I would never call any knee surgery minor but it was to clear out an infection and it was not reconstructive knee surgery.

Manning played mediocre at best the first four to six games of the season then went on a tear through Colts' opponents that he still seems to be on today.

Carson Palmer played somewhat poorly the entire year after his ACL surgery.

Donovan McNabb played somewhat poorly after coming back from knee surgery and has been injury prone ever since.

Dante Culpepper never has really come back from his ACL injury.

Trent Green took at least a year or more to play well after his ACL injury.

That’s what is wrong with Tom Brady. And he is one of the hardest working, competitive players in the league. I think he will continue to progress and be the Tom Brady of old by the end of the season barring injury.

Let’s face it, the Patriots coaching staff isn’t helping him out any. They mostly refuse to establish a running game or throw screens to slow down a pass rush. And no quarterback, especially one coming back from an ACL injury, can thrive under constant pressure with not even a threat of a running game.

As the season goes on, the Patriots will hopefully try to establish the run and short passing game, and Brady and the offense will be just fine.