Projo Pats Blog

Last week's game, in which the Patriots failed to reach the end zone in a 16-9 loss to the Jets, certainly qualifies as one of the 10 worst regular-season efforts of Tom Brady's career. How will he respond? We don't know, but if history is any guide, Brady has usually rebounded with an efficient, mistake-free game. Here are nine other lowlights of Brady's career, and how he responded the following week:

Oct, 7, 2001
Dolphins 30, Patriots 10
In Brady's third NFL start, he was 12 for 24 for just 86 yards and was sacked four times in Miami.

How he responded: Brady threw for 364 yards -- the highest total of his rookie season -- with two touchdowns and no interceptions as the Patriots beat the visiting Chargers, 29-26. Brady's 3-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Wiggins tied the game in the fourth quarter, and Adam Vinatieri won it with a field goal in overtime.

Oct. 28, 2001
Broncos 31, Patriots 20
Brady entered having made four NFL starts without an interception, but he threw four of them against the Broncos in Denver. The Broncos scored 21 unanswered points in the second half after trailing 20-10 in the third quarter.

How he responded: Brady went to the Georgia Dome the next week and had a brilliant game, going 21 of 31 for 250 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions as the Patriots beat the Falcons, 24-10.

Oct. 13, 2002
Packers 28, Patriots 10
The Brady magic disappeared for much of 2002, and this home game against Green Bay was the worst effort of the season for the second-year starter. Brady threw three interceptions and his lone touchdown was a meaningless fourth-quarter scoring pass to David Givens, long after the game had been decided.

How he responded: Brady had a lackluster game the next week at home against the Broncos, going 15 of 29 for just 130 yards, one touchdown and no picks as the Pats lost their fourth consecutive game, 24-16.

Dec. 16, 2002
Titans 24, Patriots 7
The Patriots' playoff hopes took a major hit in Nashville on Monday Night Football, as the Titans held Brady to 134 passing yards and sacked him three times. Brady threw no touchdowns and was intercepted once.

How he responded: Brady was not much better the next week, as the Patriots lost to the Jets, 30-17, in Foxboro. Brady was 19 of 37 for 133 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and was particularly ineffective in the second half.

Sept. 7, 2003
Bills 31, Patriots 0
In perhaps the worst game of the Belichick-Brady era, the third-year starter was thoroughly outplayed by Drew Bledsoe, going 14 of 28 for 123 yards and four interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by enormous defensive lineman Sam Adams.

How he responded: Brady and the Patriots stayed on the road and destroyed the Philadelphia Eagles, 31-10. Brady was 30 of 44 for 255 yards with no interceptions, and threw three touchdown passes, two of them to tight end Christian Fauria.

Oct. 31, 2004
Steelers 34, Patriots 20
Brady wasn't really that bad in this game, but it stood out as the worst game in a brilliant season. Pittsburgh intercepted Brady twice as the Patriots saw their record 21-game winning streak come to an end.

How he responded: Brady threw for two touchdowns without an interception as the visiting Patriots routed the St. Louis Rams, 40-22.

Nov. 27, 2005
Chiefs 26, Patriots 16
Brady threw four interceptions, tied for his career high, three of them to Greg Wesley, as the Patriots lost in Kansas City and saw their playoff chances come into some doubt.

How he responded: Brady threw 37 times without an interception as the host Pats won in Foxboro, 16-3.

Nov. 5, 2006
Colts 27, Patriots 20
Brady had an awful game against a Colts defense that he had so often made his foil, throwing four interceptions without a touchdown pass in a game that the Pats could have won with a better performance from their quarterback.

How he responded: Brady played reasonably well in horrendous weather conditions at Gillette Stadium, but New England lost to the Jets, 17-14. Doug Gabriel's key fumble was a key play and ended up getting him booted from the team.

Dec. 10, 2006
Dolphins 21, Patriots 0
Miami's defense was all over Brady, sacking him five times and holding him to 78 yards passing in the shutout victory.

How he responded: Brady threw for a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions as the Patriots lit up the scoreboard in a 40-7 rout of the Houston Texans.

 Tags  Tom Brady

---