Much is made of the connection between Tom Brady and Julian Edelman. Yet somehow James White’s rapport with Brady gets lost in the fray.
During the Patriots’ 37-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Brady and White reminded NFL fans just how on-point they can be during a 30-yard throw-and-catch. The Patriots were operating in a 2-minute drill with 40 second left in the first half. On a first-and-10, Brady dropped back for a quick release and an arcing pass to White on the sideline. With safety Early Thomas in tight coverage, White didn’t have much separation, but found a way to spin to his back shoulder for a leaping catch while staying in bounds.
“It was an adjustment that we made. It was a great throw and a great catch. Coverage was good,” Belichick said on a conference call Monday. “It’s the National Football League. Great players do that.”
Thomas is absolutely among the ranks of great players in the NFL. He would later record an interception on Brady (on one of his most imperfect passes on the night). And Thomas was operating in a relatively strong defensive play-call for the circumstances — the Ravens rushed four and put a double team on Edelman, which (in theory) would force Brady to find a different option. The problem was that White seemed to be Brady’s first option — he didn’t bother looking anywhere else on the play. The quarterback completely trusted a running back to win against single coverage.
While the Patriots’ players weren’t available on Monday to discuss the play, White spoke to Patriots Wire last week about his knowledge of the playbook. Running back coach Ivan has said that White’s understanding of the offense is only second to Brady.
“When you understand the defense and the grasp of the whole offensive play is, it allows you to create more separation and things of that nature,” White said. “Just knowing what Tom may expect. Trying to have the same eyes he has.”
The running back is so gifted at running routes that the Ravens decided to cover him like a receiver. He carries the ball like a back. He runs routes like a receiver. And he thinks like a quarterback, according to running back Brandon Bolden.
“James and Tom have a great relationship. They talk football for hours. It’s kind of annoying. They can talk football forever,” Bolden told Patriots Wire. “James already has a high football IQ and you get a guy like Tom, who can throw in little tidbits here and there, it’s something you can grasp on. Tom’s been here the longest, so these are all really his plays. So if everybody can see it how Tom sees, it makes the offense better.”
