Tom Brady's Weapons Finally Coming into Focus for Patriots Offense

Tom Brady has seen glimpses of what his offensive players could do. There have been reasons for hope. A catch here, a route there, an adjustment made. Rarely, however, has everyone been on the same page. Someone has either been injured, learning the offense or unable to gain Brady's trust. 

Against the Baltimore Ravens, however, the full range of weapons were available for Brady to choose from. Six players had four or more catches in the 35-31 victory, seven catching a ball in total. Tim Wright may have been the only active receiving threat not to catch a ball. Each of those six players played a huge role in sending the Patriots to another AFC Championship Game.

Not a surprise to observers of New England, but it all started with Rob Gronkowski. Seven catches, 108 yards and a score don't tell the whole story. Gronkowski drawing the gaze of multiple defenders on most plays allowed more space for the other options to get open.

One of the biggest beneficiaries of Gronkowski's presence has been Julian Edelman. That didn't change against the Ravens as Edelman led the team with eight receptions. He may have only totaled 74 yards on the day, but his catches consistently moved the chains and kept New England in manageable situations. On his best play of the day, however, he was the thrower rather than the receiver.

On the end of Edelman's first career pass was the much-maligned Danny Amendola. After failing to gain traction in New England's offense through his first two seasons, he broke through with a monster performance against the Ravens. In addition to catching Edelman's 51-yard bomb for a touchdown, Amendola racked up four more catches and 30 more yards. He consistently made the first man miss, earning key first downs as well as a second score.

The fourth and final receiving score of the day—Brady ran for the fifth—belonged to Brandon LaFell. A complete afterthought through the first couple of games this season, he has blossomed into a legitimate No. 2 receiver. He caught five passes for 62 yards, including the game-winning 23-yard touchdown pass that Brady dropped into the bucket.

Shane Vereen added four catches for 39 yards, spending time as both a running back—he only had one carry—and a wide receiver. His biggest contribution might have been as a decoy, declaring himself ineligible on a play featuring only four offensive linemen.

The ultimate beneficiary of that play was Michael Hoomanawanui. Coming free off the line after lining up as a left tackle, the rarely-used tight end picked up 16 yards. He ended the day with 43 yards on four catches. He ended the season with just three catches for 44 yards.

Perhaps Brady's biggest weapons against Baltimore were his offensive tackles. Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer erased Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil from the equation, giving their quarterback enough time to distribute the ball. As the playoffs progress, the offense will go as far as the offensive line will take it.