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Brady remains upbeat about starting for Pats
By John Clayton
ESPN.com

NEW ORLEANS -- Tom Brady walked like the Patriots starting quarterback Tuesday at Super Bowl media day. He talked like the Patriots starting quarterback. And he answered questions like the Patriots starting quarterback.

The only uncertainty comes down to Wednesday. If he practices like the starting quarterback, coach Bill Belichick will probably name him the starting quarterback for Sunday's game against St. Louis.

Belichick will not make a decision on his starting quarterback until after reviewing tapes of Wednesday's practice upon his return to the team hotel, ESPN's Sal Paolantonio reports. Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis told Paolantonio that Brady and Bledsoe will share time in practice, and that coaches will evaluate the performance of both before deciding on a starter.

Patriots practice is expected to end at about 5 p.m. ET. There will be only one full practice Thursday for the starter in the No. 1 role. The team will have a lighter workout Friday and a walkthrough Saturday.

Tuesday, all eyes focused on Brady as he walked across the length of the field at the Superdome. The limp, so pronounced Sunday when Steelers safety Lee Flowers bent back his left ankle, was only slight Tuesday. Apparently, the swelling wasn't that much of a factor.

"It feels good, it feels real good," Brady said. "I haven't tested it. Tomorrow, I'll run on it."

Belichick said Monday that he will name his starting quarterback for Super Bowl XXXVI following Wednesday's practice. Belichick said he's suffered worse ankle sprains playing basketball than the one Brady suffered Sunday.

He understands the significance of practicing Wednesday. With no week in between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl, time is short. The team has only two lengthy and one moderately length practice to get ready for the Rams.

Drew Bledsoe filled in for Brady after he suffered the second quarter injury and proved he still had it. He took a 7-3 lead and turned it into a 21-17 victory. Bledsoe understand he's at the mercy of the healing of Brady's ankle.

"Whether I'm the starting quarterback or Tom is the starting quarterback, the bottom line is that we've got to win this game," Bledsoe said. "I'll do what I can to make that happen."

Bledsoe wants to play. Brady wants to play. Belichick will have a tough decision, but the decision couldn't be too much tougher than earlier in the season when Bledsoe had recovered from the injury to his chest cavity that slight severed an artery and caused internal bleeding.

Belichick decided to let Brady carry the team through the remainder of the season. The only thing that will prevent him from being the starting quarterback is the damage the ankle injury causes to his drop backs and his throwing.

"There is a lot of hypotheticals," he said. "Whether I'm 70 percent, 80 percent or 100 percent, the fact of the matter is that we both have to be ready to play. We both have to be prepared."

Would Brady be disappointed if he didn't get the chance to start?

"I don't think there is any disappointment," Brady said. "We're in the friggin' Super Bowl. How can you be disappointed with that?"

John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com

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