When Tom Brady connected with Brandin Cooks on a 25-yard touchdown pass to complete Sunday’s final-minute comeback win against the Texans, it put an exclamation mark on a surprising trend from early this season.
Brady, even at 40 years old, is throwing the deep ball at a higher rate than we’ve ever seen him do it before.
In the first three games this season, Brady’s 22 attempts of passes 20 or more yards downfield leads the NFL, according to data kept by Pro Football Focus.
He’s also pacing the league by throwing the deep pass on 20 percent of his overall attempts.