Why Tom Brady Sideline Spat With Bill O'Brien Was Completely Overblown

It was quite the scene on the Patriots' sideline against the Redskins when QB Tom Brady and coach Bill O'Brien exchanged a few choice words on Sunday.

That said, football is an emotional game and sometimes these things happen. However, because it's Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, of course the was completely overblown.

When one of the NFL's best teams is in a heated battle with the 4-8 (at the time) Washington Redskins, despite it being a road game for the Pats, frustration is an understatement.

New England may have won the game, 34-27, but had it not been for Rex Grossman, well, being Rex Grossman at the end, Washington could have forced overtime and who knows, maybe pull off the upset in sudden death.

On the day, Brady was his typical self, throwing for 357 yards against one of the NFL's better pass defenses. He also added three TDs to more than make up for the interception he threw in the end zone. And although Brady and the offense are expected to dominate each week, maybe some of the frustration should be taken out on the defense.

For one, they let Grossman throw for 252 yards, two TDs and one pick with a rating of 92.2 and a 59.4 completion percentage. Now, Grossman has definitely become more consistent as of the second half of the 2011 season, but the Patriots defense needs to step up sooner than later.

If anyone is going to talk about what's wrong with New England, it has to be its defense. Currently, coach Bill Belichick's D ranks No. 32 against the pass, allowing over 300 yards per game. Additionally, the rush defense allows just over 100 yards per game.

So, collectively, New England allows over 415 total yards per game, which also ranks an embarrassing No. 32. Even teams like Tampa Bay and Indianapolis are somehow better, which makes no sense.

All this being said, just because it's Tom Brady, who's one of the NFL's best players, got into a minor word exchange with a coach, that gets the more trending-esque spotlight than a defense which is run by a man (Belichick) who's considered a defensive mastermind.

When the postseason hits, though, and if New England does fall, believe me, it won't be because Tom Brady fails to show up. It will be because the defense continues to struggle, because if it weren't for Brady and Co., the Patriots would be near the bottom of the barrel.

Follow John Rozum on Twitter @ Sportswriter27