Any good quarterback who plays football college or pro wishes for two things one a successful team and two good protection. So far after seven games, Brady has thrown for over two thousand yards and thrown fifteen touchdown passes. Forty_ five may not happen Overall not a bad season considering he’s been sacked for a total of eighteen times. Last season, for example, Brady was sacked fifteen times in twelve games. If you think about deflate_ gate was the best thing to happen to him. He had four games to rest his shoulder which enabled him to stay healthy and advance to the super bowl. This season,_ however, Brady’s protection has been horrible at best. Offensive tackle Nate Solder a ten- year member of the team has been called for having several penalties which put added pressure on Brady. The Patriots are already thin on offense with a season_ ending to slot receiver Julian Edelman. Edelman was Brady’s most trusted receiver before he got hurt. Brady is known for his quick release, but with so many penalties Brady may be in for a long season. On the defensive side, the Patriots have been improving each week. On a sad note the Patriots did learn that defensive captain Donta Hightower is out for the season . This certainly doesn’t help New England who had difficulty stopping the run even when Hightower was healthy. Injuries are part of the game, but with bad protection and Hightowers injury Brady’s health could be in danger. As the season approaches the halfway point look for New England to be active at the trade deadline. With eight games left and three out of the four games on the road the Patriots need to focus on two things one good protection and two stopping the run. Middle linebackers Kyle Van Noy and David Harris have been playing better. If the Patriots want to go deep in the playoffs then they will have to play sixty minutes of smart football. The 4-3 Bills have been the surprise of the division. If Brady continues to play under heavy pressure then his plans to play until he’s forty five may be in jeopardy.
