Julian Edelman: ‘It’s always nice to throw a pass’
Edelman relived his Kent State quarterback days.
Tom Brady doesn’t often find himself sprinting downfield to block after throwing a screen pass. In the fourth quarter against the Packers, the Patriots quarterback did just that on a 37-yard trick play that set up a James White touchdown.
Facing second and 6 on the Green Bay 39-yard line, Brady whipped a pass out wide to Julian Edelman. The wide receiver, leaning on his experience as the one-time Kent State quarterback, fired the football back across the field to White.
“It’s always nice to throw a pass,” Edelman told reporters after the Patriots’ 31-17 win. “I’m just mad that James [White] didn’t get in. I would’ve had a better stat line. I definitely felt the crowd get fired up after that.”
🚨 DOUBLE PASS 🚨
Brady to Edelman to White! 😱 #GoPats
📺: #GBvsNE on NBC https://t.co/LqakfkKurp
— NFL (@NFL) November 5, 2018
White sprinted down the sideline with blockers, including Brady, in front of him. He was dragged down on the 1-yard line by Packers linebacker Antonio Morrison, before powering into the end zone three plays later for six points. Stephen Gostkowski kicked the extra point and the Patriots led 24-17.
The 41-year-old Brady is still learning on the job, particularly when it comes to acting as the lead blocker.
“You get out in space, I have no idea what the hell’s going on,” the quarterback said postgame. “I don’t know what’s illegal to hit or dive or cut. I thought, ‘No way the ball is getting to me.’ And next thing you know, James is running by me and I said, ‘S***,’ just as he’s running by me because I probably could have made a play to get him a touchdown, but you live and you learn.”
For his part, White said the near-touchdown was the result of a “great play call at the perfect time.”
“I’ve just got to try and score next time,” he said.
Green Bay had been marching into New England territory on the previous drive. However, Lawrence Guy punched the ball out of Packers running back Aaron Jones’s hands, Stephon Gilmore recovered the fumble, and Brady went to work. New England added another touchdown, via Josh Gordon, and left Gillette Stadium winners on a 31-17 scoreline.
