Tom Brady is ready to see Julian Edelman put his quarterbacking skills to the test for real.
"He still talks about that touchdown pass he threw against Baltimore a few years ago," Brady said in an interview with Jim Gray on Westwood One radio network Monday. "Actually, maybe it would give him a little more ammunition if he did well. But if he didn't do so well, he's batting 1.000 right now, so there's only one place to go."
The Patriots quarterback has two games left on his suspension and will be watching as Edelman possibly backs up third-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett on Thursday night against the Texans with Jimmy Garoppolo currently battling a sprained AC joint. (Graoppolo has not yet been ruled out for TNF and New England also could still add a veteran to the mix this week).
Not surprisingly, the club is still 2-0 and humming perfectly in anticipation of Brady's return. This could be why he has had nothing but good things to say about his backup's backup, too.
"Well, Jacoby (Brissett's) done a great job taking advantage of his opportunity as well," Brady said. "He went in there yesterday and showed a lot of poise. He's got a great demeanor about him. I've loved working with him. I think he shows up to work every day working hard. He's very competitive. I know our coaching staff will have him prepared and ready to go for Thursday night if he's called upon. Who knows, Jimmy may be out there. We'll see how it plays out."
While some people have used these two games as a way to insist that Brady is only the product of Belichick's greatness, it will be fascinating to see how good this year's Patriots are upon his return. Belichick invested heavily in the backup quarterback position over the past three offseasons, which is a tribute to his preparedness. But I don't think anyone would argue that this offense has another level to reach once Brady returns.
That is, unless this Edelman thing really catches on.
