Blueprint for interim coaches, 49ers’ resurgent defense and more – NFL.com

Tom Brady will be back. Look at these numbers: Nine starts, 59.2 completion percentage, 15-to-9 TD-to-INT ratio, 83.7 passer rating. Doesn’t strike you as Brady-like, does it? Those were his numbers going into Week 11 in 2006. The New England Patriots came into that season stripped of two important pass-game targets and ended it by scoring 34 points in an AFC Championship Game loss. This year, Brady has lost two important pass-game weapons, dealt with a number of other injuries, and his numbers in the above categories are 57.1, 13-to-6 and 82.7. The point is, chances are Brady will be all right. And here’s another thing: I think he really likes how his young guys are working, coming in on days off and doing all that’s been asked. “Whatever extra (they need to do), they’ve done to put themselves in a position to help us,” Brady told me. “A lot of work on Monday and Tuesday, and constant communication in practice on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday – they’ve been out there every day. You can’t make up for years and years of experience, but you can try to do as much as you can do in a short period of time. Those guys have worked really hard.” The Patriots still have plenty to work through. I just doubt, if they bow out early in January, it’ll have anything to do with No. 12.