Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski’s three-touchdown game on Thursday night was aided in large part by major mistakes in the Steelers’ secondary, with Gronkowski being left open on multiple occasions. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady says those problems on the Steelers’ defense were easy to see.
“I saw he was uncovered and I can usually get a good sense of when there’s not great communication going on between the defense. I typically want the ball in my hands at that point. Sometimes the chaos on defense is good,” Brady said on WEEI.
Brady credited the Patriots’ home crowd for being quiet enough while the offense was on the field that he could call for the snap as soon as he saw that the Steelers weren’t ready. Brady said he thinks the Patriots’ Week Two game at Buffalo will make the Patriots’ offensive communication tougher.
“I want the center to snap it and get it in my hands as soon as possible,” Brady said. “It’ll be a lot harder in Buffalo because they won’t be able to hear much. . . . I try to find a way to get the center’s attention so I can get the ball in my hands.”
The way the Bills’ defense looked on Sunday against the Colts, Brady is right to expect a tougher challenge on Sunday. A defense in such chaos that it leaves Gronk wide open isn’t something Brady can count on seeing very often.