While it would be a major shock if Tom Brady did not play in the AFC Championship Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New England Patriots may be concerned about the quarterback being limited because of his hand injury.
Brady, who reportedly injured his hand in practice on Wednesday when he collided with a teammate, did not participate in practice on Thursday. The extent of his injury is unknown, but ESPN reporter Mike Reiss told WBZ NewsRadio 1030’s Adam Kaufman on Friday that the hand issue is more than just Patriot mind games.
“They’re confident that he can play through it and be effective,” Reiss said. “When I look at it, this is obviously their most important game of the season, and on Thursday, they just went through their most important practice — their only one that they’d have in full pads — and their most important player wasn’t there. This is significant, and not just something to dismiss.”
As Reiss notes, one positive sign for Brady’s availability on Sunday is the fact that the Patriots have chosen not to add a third quarterback to the roster this week behind Brady and Brian Hoyer.
“If this was a major emergency in the sense of Brady’s availability was in question, it certainly makes sense to think they would have tried to rush another quarterback in here,” he said. “So when you frame the context of it, you say, Brady’s going to play, the question is more, how effective will he be?
“Tom Brady is as tough as they come, and this’ll be one on the list of many things that he’s fought through to play through.”
Having your quarterback at less than full strength against Jacksonville’s imposing secondary is not ideal. And if Brady makes a certain wardrobe change for the game, that probably won’t be a good sign. All that said, if any quarterback can prepare himself without taking reps in practice, it’s a four-time Super Bowl MVP. No QB and coach combo has been better at making adjustments than Brady and Bill Belichick, and they may have to do just that heading into their biggest game of the season.
