New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's virtuoso performance helped lead the team to victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 12, 2011
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To be sure, the flamboyant, media-friendly Ochocinco (in 2008, the athlete formerly known as Chad Johnson legally changed his last name to match his jersey number) is an odd fit with the so-called Patriot Way. Belichick's philosophy demands limited outside distractions, suppression of ego for the good of the team, and secrecy toward the press. Critics quickly bring up the shadier aspects of New England's approach, like the "Spygate" scandal in which the Patriots were caught filming, from the sidelines, the defensive signals of the New York Jets — a violation of league rules that cost Belichick himself $500,000 in fines and the Patriots both $250,000 and a first-round draft pick. Or Belichick's habit, especially when the Pats finished 16-0 in 2007, of running up the score on hapless opponents. There's not much fun in any of that.
But while the Patriot Way has produced astounding regular-season success in recent years, New England hasn't won a Super Bowl since the 2004 season. Isn't it time for the old formula to be shaken up a little bit? Why shouldn't a guy like Ochocinco entertain? His serial tweeting makes him tick. God forbid that he actually tweet something provocative, like his smack talk for New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis before a game in 2009. "Try and cover me!" he wrote. Harrison and Bruschi might collapse in their chairs. The horror!
Brady himself raised eyebrows this week during a talk with reporters. New England hosts the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, and someone asked Brady if he had a message for Patriots fans, whom Brady has long accused of being too quiet during home games. He replied: "Start drinking early. Get nice and rowdy. It's a 4:15 game. They have a lot of time to get lubed up and come out here and cheer for their home team."
I'm not condoning public intoxication. The town of Foxboro has ramped up efforts to cut down on drunk driving after events at the stadium. But come on. Brady made a lighthearted comment about his wishes for a rowdy crowd (in a comical attempt at damage control, the Pats insisted that Brady meant to say that fans should drink lots of water). It wasn't his usual postgame footballspeak: it was the type of thing a normal person would say. And that's the point. Maybe the Pats are finally loosening up.
We're not expecting the '85 Bears here: the Pats won't be rapping about their Super Bowl chances. But with Ochocinco and a loose Brady airing things out, on and off the field, there's hope. These may not be the same sour Pats.
Sean Gregory is a staff writer at TIME. Keeping Score, his sports column for TIME.com, appears on Fridays. Find him on Twitter at @seanmgregory. You can also continue the discussion on TIME's Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.