Tom Brady grew up in the Bay Area rooting for the 49ers. He was in the stands for "The Catch."
But the Patriots quarterback has never played a game in San Francisco, missing his only opportunity due to a torn ACL in 2008 that left Matt Cassel to lead New England into Candlestick Park.
That will all change on Sunday as Brady will take to Levi's Stadium as the Patriots face the 49ers.
The Boston Globe says that Brady has been busy setting up family and friends with tickets for Sunday’s game. The Globe says both teams remember the last meeting in the series. The Globe says the Patriots will be ready for slippery conditions in San Francisco. Rob Gronkowski was the only player missing from the Patriots practice field on Wednesday.
With two sacks in each of the last two games, the* Boston Herald* says Trey Flowers has bloomed in his second season. The Herald writes that it's important that the Patriots not let home field advantage in the postseason slip away this time. The Herald looks at New England preparing for yet another mobile quarterback, this week it's Colin Kaepernick.
The Herald notes that Brady talked about his new Foot Locker commercial in which clearly makes light of Deflategate. The Herald says there was no update and no practice for Gronkowski.
The Providence Journal *observes that New England's loss last year to Chip Kelly's Eagles still sticks in Belichick’s craw. The *ProJo also notes Brady poking fun at Deflategate in the new TV ad.
ESPN says football and family intersect for Brady in his return to the Bay Area. ESPN says that the good friends Belichick and Kelly go way back. ESPN reminds us that Brady isn't the only one looking forward to Sunday's homecoming, as fellow Bay Area boy Julian Edelman is looking forward to the trip.
WEEI.com looks at how the Patriots are ready to respond to a late-season loss. WEEI.com says the Patriots are better prepared to play without Gronkowksi than they have ever been before. Despite limping around the field on Sunday night, WEEI.com notes that Brady was not on the Patriots Wednesday injury report.
CSNNE.com says Patriots teammates had mixed reviews of Brady’s acting job in the new Foot Locker ad. CSNNE.com writes that New England is wary of another slip-up against a Kelly-coached team. CSNNE.com passes along word that Ty Law is a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2017.
NFL.com has Brady atop its list of the five best quarterbacks in the NFL right now. NFL.com ranks the former All-Pro Law as the 13th best player in the 25-man list of HOF semifinalists. NFL.com also has Brady at No. 1 in the race for MVP. NFL.com passes along Drew Bledsoe, who knows a little something about passing of the torch of the quarterback position, praising Tony Romo for the way he’s handling the situation in Dallas.
NESN.com says Dion Lewis should eventually bring unpredictability back to the Patriots offense.
MassLive.com says the Patriots defense has enough talent to rebound from the “debacle” against the Seahawks.
