FOXBORO -- Don't ask Tedy Bruschi to rank his individual
performance this season. At least, not yet. He won't be ready to answer
that question for another month or so because only then will he know
whether or not he was successful in bringing another Super Bowl
championship back to New England.
"Every year I just try to come in with a goal to improve from the
previous year, so I think I've done that," the Patriots linebacker said
yesterday before practice at Gillette Stadium. "I've done all right, but
I judge my success on what we do as a team. That's still up in the air,
so I want to finish the year."
Even though Bruschi may be reluctant to evaluate his performance at this
point, the numbers he put up in the regular season speak volumes about
his contribution to a defensive unit that allowed the lowest points per
game (14.9) not only in franchise history but in the entire NFL this
season.
The defensive captain finished the regular season second on the team
behind Rodney Harrison in tackles with 137 (87 of them solo), just one
less than the career-best he posted in 1999. He also forced three
fumbles, recovering one.
After becoming the first Patriots linebacker to return two interceptions
for touchdowns in 2002, Bruschi went one better this season and became
the first player in NFL history to return four consecutive interceptions
for TDs.
The first two pickoffs he scored on came in November 2002, a 48-yarder
he grabbed from Oakland's Rich Gannon Nov. 17 and an interception of
Detroit's Joey Harrington that he returned for 27 yards Nov. 28.
Then in the second game of the 2003 season, Bruschi picked off
Philadelphia QB Donovan McNabb and ran it in from the 18. Earlier this
month, he returned a Jay Fiedler interception 5 yards for a touchdown in
New England's 12-0 win over Miami on Dec. 7.
Bruschi's streak was snapped a week and a half ago when he failed to
score off his interception against the Jets.
"He has done a terrific job for us all the way around," said Pats coach
Bill Belichick. "His leadership -- he is one of the team's captains. He
is the defensive signal caller. He has to make a lot of adjustments from
that linebacker position. His play on the run and in the passing game.
He has been a solid player for us in the kicking game as well -- punt
team, field goal team, kickoff return team. He has been an integral part
of a lot of things we do both on and off the field."
What has impressed Belichick about Bruschi's progression since first
joining the Patriots in 1996 is the way he learned to handle the added
responsibilities that came when he was switched from being a down
lineman to a stand-up linebacker, a position Bruschi had never played
until four or five years ago.
"That is a huge transition from playing down to playing on his feet,"
Belichick said. "Tedy brings a lot of high energy to the game and
brought that even as a rookie in his different roles. . . . He did a
great job of that. I think the leadership comes with confidence. It
comes with performance. It comes with production. It comes with
experience. And that was a lot more evident when I came back in 2000
than what it was in 1996."
Bruschi says it took him about three years before he truly felt
comfortable with all the changes.
"It was something I just had to get used to," he said. "It was a
transition for myself. I think a big attribute for myself is my
intelligence. I've been able to pick up various defenses and play
various positions and get better at it."
Not only has Bruschi gotten better, says Belichick: "I think that Tedy
has come about as far as a player could come really.
"He probably has as many responsibilities on the field as any player. He
is involved in every running play, every passing play, every blitz.
Every time he is not blitzing, he is involved in the coverage and that
is multiple coverage, too, because you are talking about a combination
of backs and tight ends and . . . guys crossing and switching them off
and all of those kinds of things. Audibling when we need to change
defenses for whatever reasons. He has assumed a wide variety of
responsibilities.
"There is not one quarterback on defense like there is on offense; there
are more people involved in the communication than that. But certainly
the middle linebacker is at the top of the food chain there in terms of
the communication and decision making from a defensive standpoint."
