There has to be something positive to take out of a preseason game, and so the New England Patriots will take the one drive in which Tom Brady looked like competent quarterback, unlike the previous five that included getting intercepted twice and overall looking terrible in a 17-16 win over the Carolina Panthers.
It hasn’t been the easiest of offseasons for Tom Brady, and that’s being rather gentle with the term. The Patriots aren’t allowing reporters to ask him any questions in the preseason, and so what ever remains to be seen and learned from the effects of being under the threat of a four game suspension and his legal battles with the league is what he leaves on the field.
Brady finished the game with 7-of-13 for 84 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. The touchdown pass (to Scott Chandler) was the final drive for Brady in what is probably his final preseason appearance. He had four drives of three-and-out, two interceptions (one not his fault, the other completely his) and the touchdown play. He was once again without Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell to throw at, so that helps explain how poorly he played.
The Patriots always cast this feeling that everything is going to be alright regardless of what problems they have in preseason and early in the regular season, they’re going to be fine. They won a Super Bowl last season after everyone declared the Brady-Belichick era is over in week 4, and after the media storm of after the AFC Championship game.
But maybe the time of facing the final decline has come? It’s impossible to suggest by what we’ve seen in the preseason. It hasn’t been good from Tom Brady, but if there’s one team that’s good at making early setbacks not matter at all, it’s the current Super Bowl champions.