Jason Pierre-Paul confident Giants will sack Tom Brady: 'I'm sure of it'

ByDan Graziano ESPN logo
Wednesday, November 11, 2015

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- As he prepares for his second game of the season, Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul is feeling good, talking about ditching the heavy club wrap he wore on his right hand last week and talking big about his chances to sack Tom Brady on Sunday.

"They're undefeated, but they have to come through here," Pierre-Paul said Wednesday, referring to Brady and the Patriots. "We'll get to the quarterback. I'm sure of it. I know I will."

Pierre-Paul returned to the field Sunday for the first time since the July 4 fireworks accident that cost him his right index finger and left the rest of his right hand badly damaged. He played 46 defensive snaps in New York's victory over the Buccaneers and is likely to see that workload increase as he continues to work his way back from the injury.

But he said his hand doesn't hurt at all and didn't bother him in the game. In fact, Pierre-Paul believes he won't have to wear that heavy club-type mitten he wore on his right hand Sunday for much longer.

"When I feel like I don't need it anymore, I'll be off of it," said Pierre-Paul, who's been experimenting with a few different four-fingered gloves in the weight room and could switch to one of those.

Pierre-Paul said his recovery from this injury isn't as difficult as the recovery he made from his 2013 back surgery.

"Any time you have an injury, you're going to be iffy about stuff, and I find myself being iffy about stuff," Pierre-Paul said. "But my back surgery was much worse, much more difficult. I'm going to be fine."

His confidence seems fine already. Someone brought up that Drew Brees threw for 505 yards against the Giants two weeks ago in New Orleans and asked why a different result should be expected with Brady.

"I wasn't there," Pierre-Paul said. "So that's a big difference. Everybody knows that."

Pierre-Paul expressed admiration for Brady but said the key is to bring pressure and get to Brady and rattle him, as the Giants did in their Super Bowl XLII and XLVI victories. Pierre-Paul played in the latter and said that while Brady is great, he's not infallible.

"You don't know. He might have an off game," Pierre-Paul said. "He might be sick. You don't know. Anything can happen."

That drew a laugh from the reporters around Pierre-Paul's locker, and he smiled.

"I hope he's sick," he said. "That would be better for us."

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