ns.The Bengals finished last in the NFL in offense las

Few teams that start 3-0 with a trio of blowout victories can call the season “difficult.” Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is using that very term.During his weekly Monday night interview with Jim Gray of Westwood One Byron Cowart Buffalo Bills Jersey , Brady addressed the events surrounding the acquisition and departure of Antonio Brown, starting with Brady’s reported comment that he was “100 percent” on board with signing Brown two weeks ago.“That was supposed to be a private conversation,” Brady said, “but one thing I’ve certainly learned over 20 years of playing football is I can control what I can control. I’m gonna show up every day to do the best job I can do to be a leader of the team, to embrace new teammates, to embrace the coaching, the challenges that we are all going to face. It’s a difficult year. We’re all faced with different adversities Infant Jacob Bailey Jersey , different teams at different times. We’ve had our fair share and we are going to do our very best to overcome whatever is presented in front of us the entire season.”Without Brown, with Rob Gronkowski retired, and with Julian Edelman now injured, Brady has fewer targets as he prepares to return to Buffalo, where Brady is often the target of certain flying objects with his name written on them.“It’s definitely a challenging situation that we are facing with depth and so forth,” Brady said. “We are going on the road against a very good defensive football team. Anytime you lose great players it definitely takes a hit to your offense. The reality is we are facing a very challenging game coming up. We will go do the best we can do based on the circumstances that we have. No one is ever feeling sorry for the Patriots nor should they. I’ve got a job to do and I’m going to go out and try to do it with whoever is out there and I’m going to do it the best way I possibly can.”Brady also was asked about reports that coach Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft disagreed regarding whether to cut Brown.“There are always reports and speculation about a lot of things that I have said or have not said or been a part of,” Brady said. “The reality is I don’t make any personnel decisions.I don’t decide to sign players.I don’t decide to trade them. I don’t decide to release them.I don’t decide to draft them. I don’t get asked. I show up and I do my job. I’m an employee like everyone else. I’m going to show up this week and do the best I can do as quarterback. Maybe one day I will be an owner and I can make all the decisions that I want. I would probably have to play another 20 years in the NFL to be able to afford that.”If Brady had pushed for every dollar he’s worth over the first 20 years of his NFL career Jacob Bailey Jersey Draft , maybe he’d already be able to buy a team. But that’s not the point. The point is that he’s very much adhering to the “do your job” mantra that has characterized the second wave of the New England dynasty. And Brady will have to do his job on Sunday without Brown, without Gronk, and possibly without Edelman. CINCINNATI (AP)The Bengals agreed to a one-year deal with often-injured tight end Tyler Eifert and a three-year deal with punter Kevin Huber on Thursday, holding onto two of their unrestricted free agents.Eifert has been hurt during much of his five-year career in Cincinnati. He was sidelined for half of the 2016 season because of an ankle injury and a problem with a disc in his back that required surgery. He aggravated his back early last season and went on an injury list after two games.”Couldn’t be happier to stay home in Cincinnati,” Eifert tweeted . ”The last five years have been tough at times but every day I have been proud to be on the (at)Bengals.”The Bengals took Eifert with the 21st overall choice in the 2013 draft, hoping his pass receiving skills would upgrade their offense. He’s been one of Andy Dalton’s favorite targets, especially near the goal line Jacob Bailey NFL Jersey , but has been severely limited by injuries in three of his five seasons.The Bengals finished last in the NFL in offense last season for the first time in their history.Eifert caught 39 passes for 445 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games as a rookie. The following year, he hurt his shoulder during training camp and dislocated an elbow in the opener, ending his season. He returned and had his best season in 2015, caching 52 passes for 615 yards and 13 touchdowns, a franchise record for a tight end.He made the Pro Bowl that season and tore a ligament in his ankle during the game, requiring surgery. He returned and played in eight games in 2016, making 29 catches for 394 yards and five touchdowns Jacob Bailey NFL Draft , but an injured back disc ended the season and resulted in more surgery.Huber has spent all 10 seasons with Cincinnati. He had 32 punts inside the 20-yard line last season, fourth in the NFL.—