Five reasons why Tom Brady’s suspension could help the Patriots win another Super Bowl.

Well, at long last, the most trumped-up witch hunt in the history of sports has ended with Tom Brady saying he will take his appeal of Deflategate no further and will sit out the first four games of the upcoming NFL season. We may never know what possessed Roger Goodell to swat a mosquito with a sledge hammer, but here’s why, in the end, Brady’s suspension will benefit the Pats as much as hurt them. It could even help them get to yet another Super Bowl.

No. 1, Brady is suspended for games only. He can still practice with the team and could become the highest-paid scout squad quarterback in NFL history. Don’t you think New England’s defense will be better prepared with Brady imitating Carson Palmer of the Cardinals, Ryan Tannehill of the Dolphins, Brock Osweiler of the Texans and whoever Rex Ryan decides to play QB for the Bills?

No. 2 If you were a 39-year-old NFL quarterback, wouldn’t you rather play 12 regular season games than 16, although it does represent an absurd one-fourth of the season, like someone missing 40 baseball games. With the right conditioning, drill and reps under center as the ban draws to an end, Brady will be fresh as a summer magnolia and rip-roaring ready to go when he takes the field at Cleveland on October 9?

No. 3, the Patriots open at NFC West champion Arizona, where they may have lost with Brady, anyway, then play three games at home with highly touted Jimmy Garoppolo under center. What do you think, 2-2,  3-1 and maybe even 4-0 with Bill Belichick having the whole summer to prepare to play with another quarterback?

No. 5 is Belichick’s preseason mantra all day, every day, going something like this: “We all know Tom’s the best quarterback and we hate to play without him, but let me tell you guys something: people are acting like this is a one-man team, that Jimmy some chick from the hen house, that our offensive line still sucks our defense is overrated. That’s what they’re saying,” Belichick will tell his players that, ad nauseam, “What are WE going to say in return?”

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