And where did the NFL’s judicial misadventures in the case of Tom Brady and the Missing Air leave the Patriots? Brady’s suspension ended Sunday afternoon with the final seconds of New England’s unsightly 16-0 loss to the Buffalo Bills. When he returns, he will inherit a 3-1 record and a one-game lead over those Bills in the AFC East. He will be rested, tanned (all over, apparently) and vengeful.

The Patriots surely would have signed up for 3-1 behind Jimmy Garoppolo, let alone behind Garoppolo and two and a half games with third-string rookie Jacoby Brissett at quarterback. They played an atrocious, burn-the-tape game Sunday, but they will emerge from Brady’s suspension in good shape. And into their huddle will walk a ticked-off Brady, and ticked-off is just how you want him.

In the bigger picture, the four weeks without Brady may provide the Patriots a benefit to counteract the more damaging penalty stemming from Deflategate. The lost first-round pick, which owner Robert Kraft accepted in the misguided hope Commissioner Roger Goodell would drop his hunt of Brady, was always going to sting more than forcing Bill Belichick to come up with Brady-free game plans.

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But Garoppolo’s emergence in the six quarters he played could undo that part of the Deflategate fallout, too. The Patriots have the option to deal Garoppolo to recoup the pick the NFL took from them. If Sam Bradford could net the Eagles a first-rounder, a quarterback who flashed the talent and potential of Garoppolo should be able to bring back at least two. Maybe Garoppolo could have been exposed if he played more. The Patriots don’t have to worry about that.

New England could also keep Garoppolo, and it would also be a prudent choice. They know what they have in a potential Brady successor, and they can also feel comfortable they have a capable backup in case their starting quarterback – who, despite his durability and excellence, is pushing 40 – suffers an injury. They even have a rookie who may or may not factor into their future plans, but at least Brissett gained experience while winning one game and helping in another.

The NFL worked for more than a year to ensure the Patriots would feel the sting from Deflategate, from whatever it is the league believes the Patriots did in the first place. In the end, they have a 3-1 record and a quality backup quarterback who proved himself a valuable trade chip, certainly coveted enough to cancel out the other half of the penalty.