FOXBORO -- Tom Brady was beat up going into MetLife Stadium over the weekend, even coming off of a bye week, and he took a few more punishing blows against the Jets. He wasn't sacked, but he was on the receiving end of five hits, and cameras caught him receiving attention from trainers for both hand and knee injuries.
The 41-year-old quarterback was back on the field for practice on Wednesday, though, a session in which the Patriots wore shells and sweats. When the team released the injury report later in the afternoon (see below), Brady was listed as a limited participant.
"I'm certainly doing better this week," Brady told Jim Grady in his weekly interview on Westwood One radio Monday.
"We had the game against Tennessee where I got a little nicked up and then had the bye week and was hoping to have a full week of practice, and it just didn't allow for it. I'm feeling a lot better. A little flu has been going around, but I'm feeling a lot better and hopefully I really turned the corner with my knee this week."
The only player not spotted at the session was Dwayne Allen (who did not participate in practice), highlighting the fact that -- though banged-up -- the Patriots are in relatively good health.
Running back Rex Burkhead is eligible to return to play against the Vikings, and corner Duke Dawson could potentially see playing time for the first time this year. Both players returned off of the injured reserve list to re-join the active roster.
Other signs the Patriots are trending in the right direction health-wise for the stretch run?
Tight end Rob Gronkowski looked more like himself against the Jets, playing 69 of 70 snaps. Guard Shaq Mason returned to the starting lineup after two weeks away with a calf injury and helped the Patriots rush for 215 total yards. And Sony Michel, who's dealt with a knee injury off-and-on this season, ran for a season-high 133 yards. None of them were listed on the practice participation/injury report.
Brady told Gray earlier this week that his preference is to play with injuries if possible, because if you try to hold off to let it heal, there's no guarantee you've bought yourself much time.
"My take on injuries is you're really susceptible every time you go out," Brady said. "You can go out, be a little nicked up and if you get hit again, you could make it worse. But the reality is, you could wait for it to get fully healthy, and then go out and take a hit and get hurt again.
"If I can play, that's what I'm going to always prefer to do and that's what I've always done. And I realize there are risks that come with playing when you're not fully healthy or when you're not fully healed, but that's part of the nature of the game. I think in many ways, it would hurt me more to not be playing and watching than it would be to deal with whatever I'm dealing with."
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
DID NOT PARTICIPATE
TE Dwayne Allen (knee)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION
QB Tom Brady (knee)
DB Nate Ebner (knee)
FULL PARTICIPATION
WR Julian Edelman (foot)
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
DID NOT PARTICIPATE
WR Chad Beebe (hamstring)
WR Stefon Diggs (knee)
TE David Morgan (knee)
CB Xavier Rhodes (hamstring)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION
LB Ben Gedeon (concussion)
WR Adam Thielen (calf)
FULL PARTICIPATION
G Tom Compton (knee)
LB Eric Kendricks (chest)
Mike Remmers (low back)
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