
FOXBOROUGH — Tom Brady conducted his midweek meeting with the media much the way he conducts himself on the field on weekends.
All business.
Keeping his answers short and to the point, the Patriots quarterback was clearly focused on preparing for the AFC Championship game showdown with the Steelers when he hopped up on the podium Wednesday.
Though his voice was a little low and a little hoarse, Brady insisted he was “good’’ when asked if he was feeling OK.
Brady said the priorities are simple in the postseason.
“We have to play our best game of the year,’’ he said. “I think that’s what it comes down to. We’ve got to all do whatever it takes to be at our best for those three hours on Sunday night.
“They put a lot of pressure on you in a lot of areas. They’re tough to prepare for. We’re going to have to just rise to the occasion.’’
Brady’s shortest answer came when he was asked about the expletive Steelers coach Mike Tomlin used to describe the Patriots in Antonio Brown’s Facebook video. It was pointed out that the Jets’Antonio Cromartie used the same word to describe Brady five years ago. Why, he was asked, are the Patriots viewed this way?
“I’m not sure,’’ Brady said. “I don’t know.’’
Brady’s counterpart Sunday, Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger, was asked the same question during an earlier conference call.
“Because they’re the gold standard,’’ he said. “They’re the best. They’re awesome. I think a lot of teams try and look at their blueprint and their recipe for success and try do to what they do because they’ve been so successful.’’
While Brady and Roethlisberger will be taking shots at one another (figuratively speaking) Sunday, they took turns trading compliments Wednesday.
“Ben is an incredible player, and he’s been that way since 2004 when he came into the league,’’ said Brady. “I’ve always loved the way he plays — very tough, very hard-nosed. He’s great for the city of Pittsburgh — a very tough, hard-nosed city. I have a lot of friends from there.’’
Roethlisberger had to sit out the teams’ meeting in Pittsburgh in Week 7, but cameras did catch him asking Brady for his jersey postgame.
“I hate that those things get taped and audioed and stuff, because it wasn’t meant for that, but I have it hanging in my office,’’ said the Steelers QB. “I have a lot of respect for him, I think that’s very well-known.
“I think he’s one of if not the greatest quarterbacks of all time. It’s been an honor to play against him, to call him a competitor. So I put it up in my office with the likes of the Marinos and Elways and Kellys.’’
Brady was asked about a number of other topics, including Dion Lewis (“He’s just a very dependable, consistent player of us’’) and gracing the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated (“Very cool for someone who collected all those covers and hung them on my wall when I was a kid. I think it’s pretty neat’’).
Practice report
There was a healthy outlook at practice. Every player on the Patriots active roster was present and accounted for at the team’s first workout of the week.
The only bodies missing from the full-pads session were practice squad players Woodrow Hamilton and Glenn Gronkowski.
Rookie receiver Malcolm Mitchell, who hasn’t played since Week 16 when he suffered a knee injury against the Jets, was moving free and easy during the portion of the practice open to reporters, and he could be on course to make his playoff debut this week.
“I’m feeling good, how are you?,’’ said the always cordial Mitchell.
Practice was held in a steady, raw rain on the lower field.
Practice squader Tyler Gaffney was wearing a yellow No. 26 pinnie, indicating he’s playing the role of Pittsburgh’s Le’Veon Bell this week.
Seven players were officially listed as limited, including Mitchell, Danny Amendola (ankle), Chris Hogan (thigh), Martellus Bennett (knee), Dont’a Hightower (shoulder), Jabaal Sheard (knee), and Brandon Bolden (knee). The last five are all new to the report, while Amendola was downgraded after being a full participant last week.
Coach-speak
Bill Belichick entered the packed media workroom for his chat and began with a smile, saying, “We need a bigger room.’’
He was asked if it mattered to him that commissioner Roger Goodell wouldn’t be at Gillette Stadium Sunday and also about the Sports Illustrated jinx.
“I’m focused on the Steelers,’’ was his response to both queries.
The coach was frank when asked about the importance of home-field advantage in the playoffs.
“Go ask Dallas and Kansas City,’’ he said.
Blount is blunt
LeGarrette Blount, a former Steeler and one-time teammate of Brown, was asked what the differences are between the New England and Pittsburgh locker rooms. “Next question,’’ he said . . . Blount also said he has no extra motivation playing against Pittsburgh, where his stay lasted just 11 games in 2014 before he landed back in New England. “No,’’ he said. “I’m just going to go out there and play just like I play everybody else. It’s more about us than them.’’ . . . If you’re searching for tickets to the game, head to Matt Light’s playoffraffle.com for a chance to win tickets and dinner with some former Patriots. Proceeds benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank. Another option is the Patriots charitable foundation VIP raffle at patriots.com/community.
Jim McBride can be reached at james.mcbride@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @globejimmcbride.