Nothing To See Here

The New England Patriots – the folks who helped bring you Spygate and Deflategate – went into the playoffs dogged by an ESPN story of internal turmoil. And had they listened to Tony Romo on CBS’s broadcast, they might not have even showed up to play the Tennessee Titans, who were positioned, Romo said, to win the game they lost 35-14 to Team Turmoil.

So be careful what you believe.

Wednesday’s news from Foxborough, Mass., was that Brady had jammed his throwing hand during practice. Don’t wring your own hands. Precautions are precautions.

Brady was listed as a limited participant in the workout and (gasp) had to miss his media session to get treatment.

You would suspect Brady knows most of the game plan and his teammates at this point of the season. You would expect that treatment will bring his hand around. Timing and rhythm ought not be a problem. And, especially with the Patriots, you never really know the severity of an injury.

When the Patriots line up Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, you can expect the usual Brady. You can always expect the usual Brady (though two Super Bowl losses to the New York Giants put a tiny dent in that theory).

Nothing fazes the Patriots. No story, no accusation, no investigation (no matter how ham-handed) takes their focus off the mission.

Brady will be fodder for talk radio until game time. How’s the hand? Can he grip the ball? How will cold weather affect his throwing? And then you will in all likelihood read the following account of the game: Tom Brady passed for 331 yards and two touchdowns and the New England Patriots are Super Bowl-bound again …

Happens all the time.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman