By Phil Perry
CSNNE.com
Tom Brady knows that his connection with Chad Ochocinco isn't where he would like it to be for the start of regular season games, but he says their on-the-field rapport is improving steadily.
"I think every day we're out there together, the two of us, working, and him working with Deion Branch and Wes Welker, it gets better every day," Brady said during his weekly segment with WEEI. "We're very much an abbreviated schedule this year with practices, lack of OTAs organized team activities in the offseason. Every team is at the same point, every team has new players. I'm sure it's more challenging this year than it's been in the past. Our offense, for receivers, is a challenging offense. He's a very competitive person and he wants to be out there learning it, he wants to compete, he wants to understand the nuances of what we're doing. Every single day we're out there it gets better."
Though Ochocinco caught a touchdown pass in last week's preseason game with the Buccaneers, Ochocinco seemed disappointed in himself because he was not as in-sync as he hoped to be with the rest of the offense. For Brady's part, he's had a good time trying to get Ochocinco up to speed.
"I enjoy being on the practice field with him, I enjoy sitting there on the sidelines of the games communicating with him. Being out there on the field with him in the games was a great experience for us. Those are the things we need to build on. ... We're working every day to try to speed up the learning curve, so by the time the regular season starts we're where we need to be."
Brady also hit on what has been one of the Patriots' key talking points, especially since last week's preseason game with the Buccaneers: their attacking defense.
"When you put pressure on the quarterback, that's No. 1," Brady said. "Any time you talk to a defensive coach at the beginning of the week, they say 'We have to get after the quarterback.' It was really fun to see from our sideline. Those guys are really teeing off on the quarterback. I love to see that. From another quarterback's perspective, to stand there on the sidelines and watch them attack the quarterback -- force them into quick decisions, force them into throws that you don't want to make but have to make because you don't have time to see the coverages -- that's good for any defensive football team."