Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Breeland Speaks admitted he was worried about being called for a roughing the passer penalty on Tom Brady when he appeared to let the quarterback out of his grasp on a key play late in the fourth quarter Sunday.
Speaks had his left arm around Brady’s midsection behind the line of scrimmage, but the rookie said he wanted to avoid a penalty because he thought Brady had already thrown the ball.
#Chiefs LB Breeland Speaks said he believed Tom Brady had already thrown the ball on his TD run and was fearful of the new rules protecting the passer. “it was definitely on my mind. It sucks.” Will he alter his approach going forward? “Yes. I gotta finish the play next time.”
— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) October 15, 2018
Brady’s touchdown run gave New England a 37-33 lead. The Patriots ultimately won 43-40 on Stephen Gostkowski’s 28-yard field goal as time expired.
Brady responded to Speaks comments.
#Chiefs LB Breeland Speaks appears to let go of #Patriots QB Tom Brady, before the 41-year-old QB decides to tuck it and run for a 4-yard TD pic.twitter.com/JKjeZ7jfxQ
— Kevin Boilard (@247KevinBoilard) October 15, 2018
Speaks, a second-round draft selection, said he will risk being penalized in the future in order to prevent game-changing touchdowns.
“It’s just the risk we’ve got to take now,” said Speaks, who finished with six tackles and a sack Sunday. “Whether we get the flag or not, whatever happens, you’ve just got to go ahead and push through it and go ahead and make that play.”
Breeland Speaks has gotta come up with the sack there. He had Brady.
— Tyler Greever (@WIBWTyler) October 15, 2018
When the game is on the line, you do whatever you have to do in order to prevent a touchdown. I think that’s a weak excuse.
Of course the NFL is trying to protect the QB’s, and all the penalties are designed to curtail the aggressiveness.
