Tom Brady's team, New England Patriots started their Super Bowl title defense on a high note, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Miami Dolphins in impressive fashion. The Patriots crushed the Steelers, 33-3, in their season-opener after hoisting their sixth Super Bowl banner. They followed it with a 43-rout of the Dolphins, sending a strong signal to 31 other teams that the Patriots are a force to reckon with this season.
And, as if these routs weren’t enough to send shivers down the spine of their opponents, veteran quarterback Tom Brady posted an Instagram story that could be taken as a warning to the rest of the league.
In his Instagram story shared by Lauren Campbell of New England Sports Network (NESN), Brady posted a photo of him and newly acquired wide receiver Antonio Brown and accompanied it with the caption “just getting started,” meaning Patriots fans can expect more touchdown connections between the two.
In their win over the Dolphins, Brown caught four passes for 56 yards and a score in his first NFL game on December 22, 2018, when he was still with the Steelers. After the game, Brady lauded Brown's performance despite having to learn the Patriots’ system in less than two weeks. "Yeah, it was a good start. I was just trying to find an open guy and he was snapping off some routes and did a great job,” said Brady.
Despite his first touchdown connection with Brown, Brady felt like they still have a long way to go before they can be really in a rhythm. “We have a long way to go, we really do,” said Brady. The Patriots play host to the New York Jets on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
Teammates rave over Brown’s outing
According to fellow wide receiver Josh Gordon, Brown delivered what was expected from him in his first game as a Patriot.
“He continues to be what we expect him to be -- a great wide receiver and football player,” said Gordon, adding that Brown will be a tremendous asset to the team. For veteran wideout Julian Edelman, it would be tough for opposing teams to figure out the Patriots’ offense with Brown on their side. "He's a smart football player," Edelman added.
Brady lauds Gordon
Aside from Brown, Gordon also received praises from Brady despite catching just two passes for 19 yards against the Dolphins. Brady said Gordon has quickly learned the Patriots’ offense despite being a late arrival following a trade with the Cleveland Browns. “We got him late last year into the season - Week 2 - and it's a lot to pick up. It's a hard offense to learn,” said Brady. The 42-year-old quarterback believes that the more they play together, they can get comfortable more quickly. Brady also called Gordon a great teammate, saying he always loves being with him and around him.
