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Still in Brady to start for Patriots on Sunday night against Rams
Updated: Wednesday November 14, 2001 5:56 PM
FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- Tom Brady will start again at quarterback for New England on Sunday even though Drew Bledsoe's doctors say he is healthy and itching to play. Brady is 5-2 as a starter since taking over after Bledsoe was sidelined by a hit from New York Jets linebacker Mo Lewis on Sept. 23 that ruptured a blood vessel in Bledsoe's chest. The Patriots were 0-2 with Bledsoe starting. "Anytime you lose your starting quarterback, that's not anything that's a positive," head coach Bill Belichick said. "But Tom has taken advantage of the opportunity and has done a good job." Belichick didn't say how long Brady would have the job, but said he would make a decision after this weekend. "The way I look at it, we're on the same team," said Brady, a second year pro. "We're in it together. This is about trying to get the New England Patriots to win football games."
Brady has completed 63.3 percent of his passes for 1,426 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. The team has averaged more than 26 points per game under Brady, compared to 10 points per game in two games under Bledsoe. Bledsoe said Tuesday that he expected Brady to start if he performs better in practice. But Bledsoe said he intended "to make it very hard for Brady to stay on the field." Brady said he welcomed the competition, and added it would be strange if Bledsoe didn't want his job back. "Who doesn't want to play?" Brady said. "If you don't want that, then you're in the wrong line of work. You ought to be working at some shopping mall or something." He said he and Bledsoe are friends and support each other. "I'm confident that if I'm in the game, we're going to win," Brady said. "And I'm confident that if he's in the game, we're going to win."
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