Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski Set the Tone for 2018
The Patriots relied on their two superstars in their win over the Texans. After Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson fumbled on the first play of the game, it only took Tom Brady three plays to find tight end Rob Gronkowski for a 21-yard touchdown:
Gronk catch. Gronk dance. Gronk smash.
đź“ą @NFLhttps://t.co/FG5mOSNimP
— Post Sports (@PostSports) September 9, 2018
The Patriots took the lead and never looked back. Despite drawing constant double teams in the secondary, Gronkowski finished with seven receptions for 123 yards. Brady found Gronk multiple times down the seam that opened up routes underneath for other receivers.
Brady, at 41 years old, continues to prove that age is just number for the reigning NFL MVP. He finished 26-39 for 277 passing yards and three touchdowns, each going to a different receiver. One of those touchdowns was to Phillip Dorsett, who became the 69th different player to catch a touchdown pass from Brady. That brings Brady closer to the NFL record holder, Vinny Testaverde, who threw touchdowns to 70 players over the course of his career (1987-2007).
Adding to the long list of milestones, Brady also tied future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning for the most opening-day wins by an NFL quarterback with 13.
The duo will look to continue their success against arguably the toughest defense in the NFL next week. The Patriots will be visiting the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday in a rematch on the Jan. 21 AFC Championship game. New England won 24-20 to reach the Super Bowl for the third time in four years.