Only Brady Can Keep This Ship on Course

Let's take a look at Brady's receiving corps this season.

According to Ourlads—one of the best depth-chart sites out there—Michael Jenkins and Danny Amendola currently stand as the Patriots' starting receivers. Jenkins spent last year in Minnesota, and Amendola in St. Louis.

Further down the list, Donald Jones came over from Buffalo. He'll be fighting for No. 3 receiver honors with second-round pick Aaron Dobson—recently drafted out of Marshall. Of course, fourth-round pick Josh Boyce out of TCU will want some snaps as well.

Of the top six receivers on the Patriots depth chart, only Julian Edelman has previous experience catching passes from Brady. Only Edelman has had more than a couple of months of time between being handed offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' playbook and being asked to execute it.

That said, talking about the relative talent of some of those players seems pedantic at this stage. No matter how good that receiving corps is, it's going to take some time to gain chemistry and find rhythm.

That's a level of pressure not only for Brady to peak one last time before it's too late but to do so under the most difficult of circumstances. He does so not only for himself and for his legacy, but for his teammates who are counting on him.

No other NFL player is under that kind of pressure in 2013. Frankly, no one comes close.

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