FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – One lingering question for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is what he plans to do during a four-game suspension to open the season, which he was asked about on Tuesday.

"I haven't put much thought into it. It's been busy with the practices and so forth, and we still have a couple of important weeks for this training, for this phase of the season. I want to put all my efforts and thoughts into this week and next week, and try to go out and play in a couple good preseason games, and see if I can get some of that game action," he said.

"We'll deal with those four weeks when they come."

Brady's remarks came in a news conference in which he explained his excused absence Sunday and Monday by saying he "had to take care of something." He didn't divulge more details. Brady also explained what happened to him before last Thursday's preseason game, saying that slicing his right thumb was a "silly mistake."

A few other soundbites from Brady, who is itching to play in the preseason:

Does he feel he needs preseason reps? "I don't think any of them hurt. You just do the best you can do. We're preparing a lot of guys to get ready to play. I fit into that, but so do a lot of other guys. I'm just taking the advice of Coach [Belichick] and whatever he wants to do, I'm going to do everything I can to be ready to go when I am called upon. It's what my responsibility is and that's what I'm preparing to do."

The difference between training-camp practices and games: "You're getting hit [in games], so just the spatial awareness and guys around you, and ball security and things like that. For whatever the last 30 practices, quarterbacks aren't touched. [In games], just stand there in the pocket, holding the ball, knowing that they're coming to get the ball and knock it out of your hands, and hitting the ground and so forth, those type of things are important. So I just have to feel those things out, and the game is really the only place to get it because it's regular speed. You don't know what's coming."

Working dynamic with Jimmy Garoppolo: "We're in every meeting together and there is always a good back and forth in our room. I think that's really encouraged by [offensive coordinator] Josh [McDaniels] to speak up and say what you think. If you see someone maybe doing something a little bit different, we're always trying to be on the same page. I'm glad we've been winning; that's been fun to watch. We can always do better at our position and we're going to try to. We're going to need to, because it's a tough schedule we've got, but we're going to do the best we can do."