FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Life after Brady: The Patriots will celebrate their championship past when they honor Tom Brady at halftime of Sunday’s season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS), which is also a reminder of how challenging life has been without him.
They are 25-25 the past three regular seasons, with one playoff berth when they were blown out by the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round. Few are picking them as a contender in 2023.