Brady humble star: Patriots QB focused on Eagles, not legacy
Rich Thompson
JACKSONVILLE - Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is too preoccupied with preparing for the Philadelphia Eagles to think about enhancing his NFL legacy.
Brady will start his third title game in four seasons when the defending champion Patriots take on the NFC champion Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX Sunday night at Alltel Stadium.
The Patriots' previous two victories over the St. Louis Rams (2002) and the Carolina Panthers (2004) were won in the final seconds, and Brady suspects the Eagles are capable of producing a similar effort.
``I think our concern is focused on the Eagles and the problems they can give us," said Brady when asked about a Pats dynasty and his place in its royal court.
``The week of preparation is going to be intense as it already has been starting last week. This game is a very, very difficult game. The two times we've played in it before, it's gone right down to the wire and we are expecting very much of the same.
``If our energy is focused anywhere else, it's going to make it that much tougher."
Comparisons to NFL dynasties like the Packers of the 1960s, the Steelers of the '70s, the 49ers of the '80s and the Cowboys of the '90s are inevitable considering the Patriots are on the verge of winning their third Lombardi Trophy in four years during the age of free agency.
The men who have led the Patriots to victory are also subject to the same comparisons.
Brady, a two-time Super Bowl MVP, is 8-0 in postseason games, tying Dallas' Troy Aikman for consecutive playoff wins without a loss. A win Sunday would make Brady the playoff standard for the next generation of quarterbacks.
But the field general Brady is most often compared to in terms of style and substance is San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana, the player he idolized as a youth growing up in the Bay Area. Montana led the 49ers to four Super Bowl titles in eight seasons.
``I don't think it's really been a goal of mine or ours to win Super Bowls faster than anybody else," Brady said. ``I think as they present themselves, and as they have this year as this game has presented itself, the goal is really just to try and continue playing.
``I don't think we get too many thoughts about the place in history we can make. I think that just takes away from how much fun it is."
Brady will lead the balanced Patriots offense against an Eagles defense loaded in all three layers with the NFC's elite. Middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, strong side linebacker Ike Reese, left cornerback Lito Sheppard, strong safety Michael Lewis and free safety Brian Dawkins were all voted to the Pro Bowl. Left defensive end Jevon ``The Freak" Kearse went to the Pro Bowl as a member of the Tennessee Titans and fourth-year right end Derrick Burgess is considered a budding All Pro.
Comparing the Pats' recent Super Bowl foes, the Rams had an outstanding offense, the Panthers owned a shutdown defense and the Eagles have a lot of both. The only common denominator Brady could put his finger on yesterday was that, in each case, the Patriots faced their most formidable foe at the end of the run.
``The best comparison is they're the best team we've played all year, just as Carolina was the best team we played (last year) and the Rams were the best team we played three years back," Brady said.
``It's a great defense like we faced last year," he said of Philly. ``They are going to be very tough. They are very skilled in the secondary and they are really peaking. They are playing very well right now."
Brady added the Patriots' previous success is not a guarantee the Eagles will fall in line with the Rams and Panthers.
``I think when the ball gets kicked off, it's kind of business as usual," he said.