Belichick uses the preseason for what it’s meant for — practice. Brady didn’t take a single snap and the Patriots don’t care that they didn’t win a preseason game. They look like they’re actually shaping up in the second string. This is a very good thing.

David Carr said something like they weren’t even playing hard, you have nothing to worry about with that team.

let’s hope

And for our younger fans, perhaps that’s what’s needed to endure a preseason the likes of which we’ve just witnesses. Perhaps you’re all correct—maybe even David Carr is right. It’s certainly true that Lynch seemed to be the only one going full speed, as his energy stood out from the pack.

But I have to ask myself, would Ty Warren and Richard Seymour allow themselves to be blocked like that, ever? Would an offensive line be content with 2 yards per rush, multiple sacks? If Hobbs is “playing soft” on purpose (as it seems he’s been doing every game), just how likely is it that he can “flip the switch” to game-speed?

Look, I hope you are all right and that the Patriots have been cruising in 3rd just to make sure everything still runs right, and that they’ll find freeway speed sometime before the end of next month. But to quote Al Pacino, “I’ve been around, you know?”

This team has played more games in the past five years than nearly every other team in the league (94!). Last year was an incredible grind both mentally and physically—especially toward the end of the regular season. By the Indy game, every team that played them played like it was their shot at a Super Bowl. It’s no wonder that they ran out of juice — just — at the end. By then they had played the equivalent, in energy spent and bodies broken, of 10 playoff games.

Maybe they’re just worn out. It wouldn’t be the worst thing for this group to miss the playoff this year. I’m not trying to manage expectations. I’m just saying they need a rest.

But maybe they’re too good to get one.

hates the preseason, so it’s hard to draw conclusions.