Day 166: Who are you and what have you done with the real Patriots?

Wait... what? These are the real Patriots? Well that sucks.

We've all learned some very important lessons over the first two games of the infancy of this NFL season. First, Tom Brady is actually human. I know it's hard to believe that after all these years of super-human-quarterbacking, but holy shit people, the guy can't do it all himself. Although I'm sure after the hideous display put on by the depleted receiving core last night, he probably wishes there was some way for him to do it alone.

Another lesson learned is that depth on a football team is really, really important. When the Patriots let Wes Welker go to the Broncos earlier this year, I'm sure Bill Belichick thought it was no big whoop. He had two solid tight ends in Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez who had the potential to combine for about a gazillion catches. And they were on the verge of signing Danny Amendola who was supposedly just a faster, younger Wes Welker.

But no one seemed to plan for injuries and murder charges. Gronkowski struggled with infection on his surgically repaired arm in May and then it was announced in July he would need back surgery, making him questionable for the start of the season. And in June, well, we all know what happened to Aaron Hernandez. He was arrested for murder and will spend this NFL season, and possibly life, in a cage.

That leaves Tom Brady with Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman as his primary targets. Amendola is an excellent receiver—if he can stay healthy, and Edelman caught just 21 passes last year, spending most of his time as a punt and kick off return man. And then Amendola goes down with a groin injury in the first game now leaving Brady a crop of rookies as targets.

This is where shit goes bad. Last night's game against the NY Jets was quite possibly the worst football game in which I've ever seen Tom Brady participate. It was hard to believe the Pats were 13 point favorites because it was a freaking miracle that they didn't get completely eviscerated. Tom Brady was 19 of 39 for 185 yards—less than a 50% completion percentage. Both rookies Kenbrell Thompkins and Aaron Dobson dropped more passes than they caught. The Patriots could muster just nine first downs and converted just 4 of 18 third downs.

I bailed out early in the fourth quarter. I'm quite certain a root canal would've been less painful than watching that train wreck. I figured if the Jets were going to make a comeback, I didn't need to be around to see it. So needless to say, I was shocked this morning when I saw that the Patriots held on for the 13-10 win. I'm wondering how many idiots out there actually thought New England would cover that spread?

If something isn't done before their next game on the September 22nd against Tampa Bay, I might freak out. Mainly because right now, this team is absolutely no fun to watch. Football season is too short to be pissed off at your team.