FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Put yourself in Bill Belichick’s hoodie and consider the question: “When it comes to what’s best for the team, LeGarrette Blount Jerseysshould Tom Brady play in Saturday’s second preseason game against the Houston Texans?”

If the New England Patriots quarterback is going to take any snaps in the preseason, Tom Brady Jerseysit’s either this week or Aug. 25 in Detroit. There's no way he will play Aug. 31 in the preseason finale, because that game is seven days before the regular-season opener.

Here are reasons on both sides of the ledger to consider Saturday in Houston:It’s one thing to develop a rapport with new pass-catchers Brandin Cooks and Dwayne Allen in practice, but playing in a game takes that to a higher level.

2. Just as Belichick talks about coaches having to get back into the swing of calling plays each season, Danny Amendola Jerseysquarterbacks need the work to sharpen their game-management skills, which is best done when situations organically present themselves. Having Brady play in two preseason games would have the 40-year-old at his sharpest entering the regular season.

3. Conditioning is always a big focus for the Patriots and playing in a game is part of that. Dont'a Hightower JerseysAs Belichick sometimes says, there is no way to get prepared for football season without playing football. For some leaguewide context, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers played their starting offense through the first half Thursday night.

4. Good things happen when Brady takes the field at Houston's NRG Stadium, Julian Edelman Jerseyssuch as coming back from a 28-3 second-half deficit in Super Bowl LI.