The Patriots are 3-0 without Tom Brady, with Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett each having played about a game and a half. And while the health of both quarterbacks has been in question, both were at practice Tuesday.
The team trounced the Houston Texans Thursday with Brissett under center. The scheduling gives the team some extra rest before facing the Buffalo Bills Sunday. However, Brissett suffered a thumb injury on his throwing hand in his victory.
Of course, Brissett took the field only after Garoppolo suffered a shoulder injury late in the second quarter of a Week 2 victory over the Miami Dolphins. He was not ruled out to start against the Texans until the day of the game.
Garoppolo was really looking like the heir apparent to Brady when he went down. He has gone 42-59 and thrown for 496 yards with a league-leading passer rating of 119.0 this season, scoring four touchdowns.
Brissett performed admirably, particularly for a third-string quarterback behind Brady and Garoppolo, but has been more pedestrian. He's completed 17 of 28 passes for 195 yards with a passer rating of 81.7. He has a rushing touchdown, but he hasn't made a touchdown pass.
The Bills, led by head coach and Patriots adversary Rex Ryan, won their first game last week by beating the Arizona Cardinals. If the Patriots should win, Brady will return to action with his team undefeated after the season's first quarter.
