Alan Greenwood

As postgame personas go, Tom Brady on Sunday evening looked like a man whose car was stolen and driven through his living room, which set his house on fire, causing his dog to dart into the woods never to be found.

Since Brady’s mood sets the mood for Patriots fans near and far, this is a concern. At least until one radio show’s tandem dismissed it as a blip of frustration over a less-than stellar offensive performance in a win over the Eagles.

The paraphrased message: He’ll be fine, you know the offense will be better in January than it is now, he’ll be Tom Brady when he needs to be Tom Brady.

Which brings us to the boulder in the middle of the Patriots living room that no one wants to acknowledge: Is the 42-year-old Brady able to rise and shine in crunch time as tall and dazzling as the 32-year-old Brady, or even the 41-year-old Brady?

Since no one knows Brady better than Brady the fact that he looks a bit down after 10 games, even with nine of them counted as victories, it is at least worth considering. Maybe we shouldn’t expect it, maybe it isn’t fair to expect it.

Maybe we don’t even need to hope for it. The Patriots defense has been magnificent. This may be a team that rides a dominating defense into the Super Bowl. It’s not as if that has never happened before.

And if Brady and the offense play only a supporting role, there is nothing wrong with that.

ENOUGH ALREADY: Rob Gronkowski has (again) poked his beak out the window: “Psst … Big news conference Tuesday at 9 a.m. Big. REALLY big.”

Ah, what could it be this time? A cannabis cookbook to charge up Thanksgiving goodies? A new morning talk show, “Gronk and his Current Babe?” Or could it be everyone’s favorite, Gronk announces his comeback?

From the moment he announced his retirement Gronkowski has set fans’ hearts on overdrive by hinting at this. With the Patriots’ offense so sluggish, how many failed to get any sleep last night in breathless anticipation?

Then there are those of us who have grown weary of Gronk and his unquenchable thirst for adoration-soaked affection.

Have your news conference, big guy. Come back, don’t come back, whatever compulsion you bring before the cameras this time.

But do whatever you are going to do and shut your pie-hole until Thanksgiving. And if you are coming back, go light on the desserts.

TIME TRAVEL: Nov. 19, 1974 – “More than 175 parents, friends, city officials, football players and cheerleaders joined with the Elks in honoring the 1974 Elks Pop Warner Youth Football Team and cheerleader squad at the second annual dinner last night. Numerous presentations and awards were given, with the team’s Most Valuable Player Award going to Chuck French.

“Head football coach Joseph Eason, after commenting on French’s three years of outstanding play on the Elks football team, had the Exalted Ruler of the Nashua Lodge of Elks, Richard D. Baker, make the presentation of the coveted MVP trophy to French.”

It should surprise no one that Al Savage, Nashua’s all-time leader in service to youth sports, was the man who put together the dinner. Savage was last seen organizing the Elks Soccer Shoot last month and is now prepping for the huge Elks Hoop Shoot coming up in December.

Alan Greenwood can be reached at 594-1248, agreenwood@nashuatelegraph.com , or @Telegraph_ Alan.

Newsletter