Brian Hoyer has had substantial practice with the first unit for a couple of weeks now (steelers, colts and now this week), he looked pretty good in the preseason and i think they have full confidence that they can put him in there and do a respectable job.
I also feel like the lions are a team you can run the ball on, and there has yet to be a game that the patriots can feature their running game in, i think this is the game.
If this was a crucial conference game (like steelers or colts), i definitely think we would see tom out there, but i think the patriots gameplan is going to be more of a rushing offense, tom must really be hurting and taking this week off and getting a long week to heal up for the big game against the jets might not be the worst thing in the world.
now if the patriots get into some trouble and get down a few score, id be really concerned, but if belichick thinks he could lose tom for the year or he wont be right for that extremely important jets game next weeks, this could be his response.
Consider that the lions have been preparing for Brady all week, Hoyer brings some things that tom doesnt, but as being able to run the ball pretty well, he can make most of the throws that tom can make and has had plenty of time to develop a chemistry with his receivers.
ill be optimistic here and say that tom plays, but if he doesnt, i still have faith in belichick that he knows what he is doing and can come out of Detroit with a W.
