Best policy: Keep top QB healthy

(Al Messerschmidt / Getty Images) Rookie Kevin O'Connell (5) shared quarterbacking duties with Matt Cassel during Sunday's exhibition game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

TAMPA - It was a night to test out insurance policies. Based on the returns, the Patriots better hope they don't need the backup.

With quarterback Tom Brady not making the trip for the team's exhibition game against the Buccaneers last night - an NFL source indicating it was because of a sore foot - the game turned into the ultimate what-if contest.

What if Brady somehow isn't ready for the regular season? Are the Patriots equipped to weather such a loss?

They are questions not often asked in New England, as Brady has started 127 consecutive games - 110 in the regular season and 17 in the playoffs. It's the third-longest streak among current quarterbacks - behind Brett Favre and Peyton Manning - and the third-longest streak in NFL history.

In the end, Brady's sore foot simply might turn out to be a minor blip on his ironman run. After all, he told reporters Wednesday he would definitely play in the exhibition season at some point (remaining games Aug. 22 vs. Eagles, and Aug. 28 at the Giants).

But he missed Friday's practice and coach Bill Belichick was evasive when asked about Brady's condition last night, so if it is an ailment that could keep him out of action, what if . . .

It's a question Patriots fans probably don't want to consider after what they watched last night.

Fourth-year veteran Matt Cassel got the start, and for the second straight week, the offense did not score a touchdown with him behind center. The difference this time was that he had better weapons at his disposal, with receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker both making their exhibition debuts. Cassel also had better protection from the offensive line and played into the third quarter.

Last night appeared to be the coaching staff's attempt to give Cassel a chance to show what he could do with first-string-caliber players, yet the performance was listless. If it's the quarterback's job to provide the heartbeat to an offense, the Patriots were flickering toward life support territory.

Cassel wasn't in the locker room by the time reporters arrived late last night, leaving the performance to speak for itself, and if there was one play that seemed to reflect his night it came on the team's second drive.

After generating momentum by converting two third downs - with Welker on the receiving end of both passes - Cassel was in the shotgun, facing second and 12 from the Bucs' 25.

He was gesturing to the players around him, attempting to get the offense into the right play against a shifting defensive alignment, but all 11 players weren't in synch and offensive tackle Nick Kaczur was called for a false start.

It was the type of situation Brady has made look routine in recent years, and one of the more underrated parts of his game - the ability to read a defense before the snap and put the Patriots in the best position to make a play. It's one reason why, if his sore foot lingers and he's somehow unable to play, the loss would send ripples throughout the offense.

After the Kaczur penalty, running back Kevin Faulk lost a fumble on second and 17. When Cassel returned for his third drive, the offense only went backward.

His most notable bright spot, albeit a dim one, came at the end of the first half when he drove the offense 33 yards in 90 seconds to set up Stephen Gostkowski's 53-yard field goal as the halftime gun sounded.

Cassel played into the third quarter and he finished 6 of 10 for 57 yards, although a few of the incompletions were drops on his final drive. He also was in the shotgun at the start of the second half when backup center Dan Connolly delivered a wildly high snap that was returned 24 yards for a touchdown.

In the end, quarterbacks are ultimately judged by how many points are scored when they're in there, and the "3" next to Cassel's name creates uncertainty as to whom the Patriots would call on as their No. 2 option.

If Cassel isn't the answer to the Patriots' ultimate what-if question, perhaps it's second-year man Matt Gutierrez or rookie Kevin O'Connell, the third-round draft choice out of San Diego State.

O'Connell replaced Cassel with 12:01 remaining in the third quarter and his first play was an interception, coming as he rolled to his right and attempted to thread a pass to receiver Chad Jackson along the sideline.

"I was trying to squeeze it in there, but next time that ball has to go 5 yards into the stands," O'Connell said.

O'Connell, who played the remainder of the game, rebounded early in the fourth quarter to lead a 58-yard drive that resulted in the team's lone touchdown, a Heath Evans 1-yard run. O'Connell finished 6 of 15 for 61 yards.

But by that point, the tone of the night had been set.

Simply put, the insurance business wasn't booming last night for the Patriots. If this is a reflection of what they have behind Brady, they better hope that sore foot gets better quickly.

Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com.