Tom Brady hasn’t missed many starts during his 18-year NFL career
Leighton Vander Esch Color Rush Jersey , and no one sounds too worried that he’ll be sidelined for Sunday’s AFC championship game.
Nonetheless, after Brady sat out the Patriots’ practice on Thursday – and did not speak to reporters as scheduled – there was plenty of speculation about the 40-year-old quarterback’s health.
Brady sat out with a right-hand injury after being limited by the same issue a day earlier as New England prepares for its matchup with Jacksonville.
Brady wore a glove on the injured hand during the stretching portion of practice that was open to reporters. He usually wears a glove only on his non-throwing hand. He was listed as a non-participant on the injury report, and his news conference was postponed until Friday.
With scant official information about the nature of Brady’s injury, it fell to backup quarterback Brian Hoyer to address the situation. More than 50 reporters swarmed his locker as he walked through the locker room, and after stepping into the training room, Hoyer returned to find the assembled group.
”You guys waiting for Phil?” Hoyer asked wryly, referring to receiver Phillip Dorsett’s adjacent locker.
For the next six minutes he was asked a half-dozen questions about Brady, a quarterback he has now backed up twice. Hoyer said he didn’t see Brady get hurt and wouldn’t elaborate on how much he’s been able to do in practice the last two days.
”I’m always preparing to play, because the truth of reality is you never know when your name’s gonna be called,” he said.
Jaguars coach Doug Marrone expects his defense to line up against Brady
http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-michael-dickson-jersey , not Hoyer, on Sunday.
”I’m sure he can throw left-handed if he has a problem with his right hand, you know, and throw it just as well,” Marrone said Thursday.
Hoyer was Brady’s backup for three seasons from 2009 through 2011. After leaving in 2012, he started for at least five-game stretches during stops in Cleveland, Houston, Chicago and San Francisco.
Hoyer was cut by the 49ers on Oct. 31 after they traded a second-round pick to New England for Jimmy Garoppolo. He signed as Brady’s backup the following day.
”I prepare every week like I’m gonna play,” Hoyer said. ”Whether I do or I don’t, that’s not really up to me.”
Having coached in Brady’s division in Buffalo
Brian O'Neill Color Rush Jersey , Marrone is familiar with Brady’s ability to play through pain.
Brady appeared on the Patriots’ weekly injury report several times during the latter half of this season with injuries to both his Achilles tendon and his left shoulder.
He has never missed a playoff start during his 18-year career. He hasn’t missed any start because of an injury since he sat out the final 15 games of the 2008 season after tearing ligaments in his left knee during New England’s season opener.
Brady missed the first four games of 2016 while serving his ”Deflategate” suspension. He also popped up on the injury report late that season, but he didn’t miss a game and capped the season with his MVP performance in the Patriots’ comeback win over Atlanta in the Super Bowl.
Devin McCourty chuckled when he was asked about the frenzy created this week by Brady’s injury.
”When you’re a good-looking guy, a good quarterback, people want to know about you. I understand,” McCourty said. ”My people want to know about him, too. I get text messages and phone calls. When I first got here it was, `Did you meet Tom? Are you and Tom friends?’ I’m happy now. Eight years in, I consider us friends. So I’m kind of a big deal back home.”
—
The Boston Bruins look to continue their recent surge Sunday when they travel to Philadelphia for a matinee game against the Flyers.
Boston moved back atop the Atlantic Division on Saturday with a 5-1 victory over the Florida Panthers at TD Garden.
Jake DeBrusk had two goals and an assist, and linemates Ryan Donato (one goal, one assist) and David Krejci (three assists) helped the trio combine for eight points.
“I liked it. I think most people liked it
http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-trent-murphy-jersey ,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said of adding winger Donato to the Krejci-centered line. “I thought they had good chemistry; they were feeding off each other.
“Krejci, obviously, I think him and Jake have had real good chemistry. It’s one consistent, for the most part, that Krech has had, so it was a pretty good line in terms of puck possession, making plays. They can each complement each other. So we’ll see how it goes.”
The Bruins (49-17-11) lead the Tampa Bay Lightning by one point with a game in hand. Boston is 5-0-3 in its last eight games.
Tuukka Rask (10-0-1 in his last 11 starts) stopped 30 of 31 shots.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead at 4:59 of the first period, but Boston tied it midway through the period and led 2-1 before the first 20 minutes were over.
“Yeah, we’re playing good,” Rask said. “It was a good start. We kept it going
Harold Landry Color Rush Jersey , it looked like guys were making plays and playing with confidence, it’s fun to watch, like people say.”
Boston’s road trip continues Tuesday with a showdown against the Lightning and concludes Thursday when they visit the Panthers.
The news wasn’t all good for the Bruins. Center Riley Nash left after getting hit in the head with a shot in the second period and defenseman Brandon Carlo left in the third period with an undisclosed injury.
“Didn’t look good when you go off on a stretcher, obviously,” Cassidy said of Carlo. “So we’ll keep our fingers crossed on that one. Same with Nash. I know he was getting stitches in his ear … Not what you want right now, but we’ll see how they are.”
The Flyers (39-25-14) have injury issues of their own as they chase the Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins for second place in the Metropolitan Division while comfortably in wild-card position.
Goaltender Michal Neuvirth — just back after missing 18 games with a lower-body injury — left Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche with a lower-body injury. Petr Mrazek, who had been slumping, replaced Neuvirth 8:07 into the second period and made 17 saves.
Ivan Provorov had a goal and an assist and Claude Giroux scored as Flyers ended a mini-losing streak at two games.
“Just a gutsy effort,” Flyers coach Dave Hakstol NHL.com. “I think we’ve gotten a lot of those efforts throughout the year.
“I thought everybody that was in the lineup just went out and did their part. There was a couple of great performances probably to go with it, but everybody in the lineup for sure did their part.”
With Neuvirth day-to-day
http://www.steelersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-terrell-edmunds-jersey , the Flyers recalled Alex Lyon, who will back up Mrazek on Sunday. Goalie Brian Elliott, out since core muscle surgery in February, practiced Saturday and could return before the end of the regular season.
“I’ve never had a surgery before so it’s a new process for me and it’s a tough time of year because there’s a possibility of coming back at the end and you’re shooting for it,” Elliott told the Courier Post.
After Sunday, the Flyers close against the bottom three teams in the division. They travel to Brooklyn to face the New York Islanders before hosting the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers.
.
