Brady is back from his knee surgery, but the offense is limping along heading into Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons at Gillette Stadium. They were held without a touchdown last week by New York, and save for one inspired 4-minute-35-second stretch against Buffalo, the offense has been uninspired. The Patriots have three touchdowns in eight trips inside the red zone. That ranks 26th in the NFL.
While the entire offense has seemed a little off-stride, so has Brady, with some of his throws sailing high or wide.
“That’s something that I’m always working on and focusing on and trying to improve on,’’ Brady said. “There were some positive things that I took out of last game in terms of my mechanics and driving the ball. Still, I don’t think I’m 100 percent comfortable with where the mechanics are at, but that’s why I’m still working at it.’’
The issues for the offense go beyond Brady, according to former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer. They are tied in part to repetitive play-calling, a lack of dedication to the running game and the screen game, and a lack of chemistry between Brady and new No. 3 receiver Joey Galloway.
Dilfer said Brady, on film, is fundamentally the same as he was during the record-setting 2007 season, but the offense is not.
“This is not a very dynamic passing game the way it’s being called. It is far less dynamic than 2007,’’ said Dilfer. “By making it more dynamic and getting more ‘chunk yardage’ [which, according to Dilfer, is yardage gained after the ball is in the air for at least 15 yards], that will take the burden off executing at a high level on multiple third downs, the hardest down in football.’’
(Brady is the 20th-rated third-down passer in the league, completing 13 of 24 passes.)
“What there is not evidence of in the two games is a commitment to throw the ball down the field,’’ said Dilfer.
