FOXBORO -- Tom Brady is still Tom Brady. After four weeks away from the Patriots facilities, and at 39 years old, the future Hall of Famer looked like a future Hall of Famer as he beat up on the Browns en route to a 33-13 win on Sunday.
The fact that he was able to do what he did -- throw for 406 yards to seven different receivers and post a quarterback rating of 127.7 -- after serving his Deflategate suspension came as no real surprise to his teammates.
That he continues to look like one of the best quarterbacks in the league as he approaches 40? That still has them in awe.
Special teams captain Matthew Slater, 30, said he doesn't know how much longer he'll be able to play professionally, but he doesn't foresee himself lasting another decade in the NFL.
"It's hard to imagine what I'm gonna feel like at 39, but you know, Thomas, it's unbelievable what he's doing," Slater said. "It really is. Old Benjamin Button hasn't slowed down yet."
Slater added: "[He's] got the good water or something. We just take it one day at a time. That's our approach. That's his, as it is the rest of ours."
In the Patriots locker room one day after helping the team move its record to 4-1, Slater explained that he and his teammates felt confident with Brady behind center, understanding that he did everything he could to make sure that he would be as prepared as possible for his first game back.
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All they had to do was match his level.
"We knew that he'd be ready to go," Slater said, "and we just had to make sure that we were ready to go as well."