Spreading the ball around - Brady's tgts by opponent:
OPP ... tgts ... att ... Comp% ... y/att ... run%
KCY ....... 8 ....... 36 ........ 44% ......... 7.4 ........ 49%
NOL ..... 10 ....... 39 ........ 77% ........ 11.5 ........ 44% (Amendola OUT)
HOU ...... 8 ....... 35 ........ 71% ........ 10.8 ........ 36%
CAR ...... 10 ...... 45 ......... 71% ......... 6.8 ........ 30%
TBY ........ 7 ...... 40 ......... 75% ......... 8.6 ........ 37% (Gronk OUT)
NYJ ........ 6 ...... 38 ......... 53% ......... 7.6 ........ 40%
ATL ........ 7 ...... 29 ......... 72% ......... 8.6 ........ 55% (Burkhead return)
LAC ........ 9 ...... 47 ......... 68% ......... 7.1 ........ 41%
A another poster indicated, this simply isn't true.
Not counting the 3 you mentioned, Brady has used his 7 primary targets: 3 WR's, 3 RB's and 1 FB.
Much depends on game plan.
You pretty much nailed it.
Other notes:
- Dwayne Allen hasn't seen a target since week-4 (CAR)
- Dorsett went 0 for 3 in the Jets game and hasn't seen a target since.
- Gillislee has yet to see a target (not that he's any great receiver, but I have to figure that Brady will catch some defense sleeping on Gillislee at some point).
Of course, the above are "official targets" and don't include plays that may have been wiped out by penalties.
Still, in addition to the game plan, the number of viable targets that Brady has available to throw to is a factor in how much he "spreads the ball around".