Through that unpredictability, though, is a list of certainties. Here are 10 things to look for during the Patriots' upcoming quartet of preseason games.
Saints at Patriots, Aug. 12
1. Show some pride against the Super Bowl champions. New Orleans manhandled the Patriots on national television in 2009, and the Saints will spend a couple of days in Foxboro before the preseason opener. The joint practices will naturally invoke some extra emotion, and the attention surrounding this game should give the Patriots a tremendous chance to add a spark to the summer.
2. This figures to be Wes Welker's first chance to get some live reps, and when it occurs, it will serve as a major benchmark in his recovery from a left knee injury. He's already surpassed expectations, but there's no telling how he'll take that first hit, especially after going over the middle.
3. Backup quarterback Brian Hoyer was a nice surprise during his rookie season, so he's got to show he can handle those expectations in his sophomore campaign. Hoyer will likely get about three quarters of action in the opener, which will help set the pace for his summer.
Patriots at Falcons, Aug. 19
4. Former Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan didn’t have a magical return to New England last season. While he'll have more important things to worry about than playing well against the Patriots in a preseason game, this should be a good mental hurdle for him. Ryan was good in his second season with Atlanta, but he probably didn’t take the significant jump he might have wanted, so expect him to be on point with his 2010 preparations.
5. Tom Brady will probably only play one or two series against the Saints, so this could be his first chance to get into a good rhythm this summer. Brady dissected the Falcons' defense in Week 3 of 2009, recording 277 passing yards and one touchdown, and he'll have a shot to put up some numbers in about one and a half quarters in this game.
Rams at Patriots, Aug. 26
6. The starters will get about three quarters of game action, which will be their most extensive playing time of the preseason. On one hand, it will be their best measuring stick, but on the other, well, it's the Rams. Either way, we'll have a much clearer understanding of which players are angled toward the top of the depth chart.
7. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has typically had a field day against rookie quarterbacks, and this will be his first chance to clash with 2010 No. 1 pick Sam Bradford.
8. It's believed that Rams running back Steven Jackson has been on the trading block in past seasons, and there have been rumors — nothing more, nothing less — that have called New England a potential landing spot. Would the Rams trade a franchise-caliber running back who could help the development of Bradford? No, probably not. But if those talks were to ever progress, this might be a good week for it to happen.
Patriots at Giants, Sept. 2
9. This will provide a little more clarity for the players toward the lower two-thirds of the roster, who will earn the majority of playing time in this game. Hoyer dominated in this role in 2009, commanding control of the No. 2 job and wiping out his quarterback competition in the process. This is more about the game inside the game.
10. With that said, though, the Patriots and Giants met in the preseason finale last year, and it wound up being the most entertaining clash of New England's summer. Sure, the game drags on at times for obvious reasons, but these guys will still play their hearts out with one final attempt to impress the coaching staff before Sept. 4 roster cuts.
