CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Leave it to Tom Brady the backup quarterback to show the Patriots how much the Patriots will miss Tom Brady the starting quarterback.
Jimmy Garoppolo turned in his worst of three preseason starts on Friday, two weeks before he'll make his first NFL regular-season start. Before he struggled against the Panthers' first-team defense, he passed much simpler tests at home against the Saints and Bears with a high level of efficiency.
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But it's a lot different on the road against the reigning NFC champs in more of a pseudo-playoff atmosphere, especially when the contrast is being provided by a four-time Super Bowl-winning legend coming off the bench.