New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has taken some big hits this preseason. While much of the blame for hits has been pinned on the offensive line, Brady believes that's not always the case.
"When the offensive line's expecting me to get the ball out quick, and I hold on to the ball and I get sacked, then people may blame the offensive line, but really it's the quarterback's fault," Brady said Monday on the "Dennis & Callahan Show" on WEEI-AM (via Phil Perry of CSNNE.com).
"Sometimes there's coverage sacks, where ... there's just not a place to find to throw the ball, and the offensive line ... is expecting a certain rhythm of a play, and it doesn't come out that way. It could be a number of things."
The two biggest shots Brady has taken this preseason -- strip sacks by New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith and Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Michael Bennett -- were good examples of what Brady is talking about.
The protection was pretty good on the Smith's sack, but the Saints had the play covered, and Brady was guilty of holding the ball too long while waiting for someone to flash open. Last week's hit by Bennett was equal parts solid coverage, with Brady holding the ball too long, and right tackle Marcus Cannon letting Bennett beat him.
"From a quarterback standpoint, we've got plenty of time to throw the ball and find the right guy," Brady said of the offensive line's pass protection this preseason. "We (the quarterbacks) have to do a better job of doing our job, which is getting the ball out when we need to get it out, get it to the open receiver and let our guys do something with it."
Follow Brian McIntyre on Twitter _@brianmcintyre_.
