By Rich Tandler
The last time the Patriots came to FedEx Field during the 2003 season, Tom Brady was the New England quarterback and the Redskins won 20-17.
No member of the current Redskins was on that team.
There is one Redskin, however, who has experience in beating Brady, Bill Belichick, and the Patriots. Barry Cofield was a member of the New York Giants’ team that ended the Pats’ dream of an undefeated 2007 season by beating them 17-14 in Supper Bowl XLII.
Cofield started at defensive tackle in that game. The Giants’ pass rush received the lion’s share of the credit for holding down the Patriots’ offense, who set an NFL record by scoring 589 points.
But Cofield says that it takes more than a rush to beat Brady. “He’s one of the best ever,” said Cofield. “A little pressure isn’t going to have him scared, he’s seen it all.”
Still, a defense has to keep some heat on Brady to slow him down. “You’ve got to hit him, you’ve got to harass him, you’ve got to move him off his mark,” Cofield said. “You have to have him at least considering the fact that there is a rush coming. If he’s going to go out there and throw it around like it’s seven on seven he’s going to set records.”
“Everyone’s got a plan until he’s punched in the mouth.”
Cofield said that Brady was not above engaging in some trash talk but that there was really only one way to rattle him. “The only way you can hurt Tom Brady is win,” he said. “You’ve got to win that day. ‘We won today,’ that’s the only kind of trash talking that’s going to do any good.”
For his part, Cofield was not trash talking about Brady. "He's married to a super model. He's got rings. What are you going to say? He's Tom Brady."
Talking about the brand of boots that Brady endorses, Cofield said, “If anybody can make Uggs cool, he’s the guy.”
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