Rodney Harrison: Patriots Need To Be Smart With Tom Brady, Other Stars

The New England Patriots are known to hand out some butt-whoopings.

The Patriots have scored 119 points through their first three games of the 2015 season, including 51 on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium. Head coach Bill Belichick constantly talks about playing hard until the final whistle, but the Pats need to use caution in such beatdowns.

As former Patriots safety Rodney Harrison noted Tuesday on WEEI’s “Ordway, Merloni and Fauria,” injuries can happen when you least expect them in lopsided contests.

“I understand Bill and he’s always preaching finish, 60 minutes, never mentally come out of the game and make sure you’re in tune for 60 minutes. I get it,” Harrison, now an NFL analyst for NBC Sports, said. “But, at the same time, the Patriots are a hated team.

” … I don’t want to see Brady, when you’re up 30 or 40 points, or whatever in the game and a situation where he could get injured or Rob Gronkowski going across the middle, or (Julian) Edelman and one of those linebackers or DB’s taking a cheap shot.

“I understand what Bill is going for, and maybe they are trying to put up numbers and trying to pad his stats, but at the same time you have to be smart, you have to understand it’s not a 16-, 17-week season for these guys. You know they are heading to the playoffs. You know they are going to be right there in the AFC battle. I would say preserve them. Make sure you take them out of the game and get some of these other guys some experience.”

The Patriots have overcome injuries before and they’re deep enough to weather minor ailments that might crop up throughout the course of a season. But a blow to certain players — Brady, Gronk, Edelman, etc. — absolutely would hurt New England’s chances of repeating as Super Bowl champions.

It’s up to Belichick and the coaching staff to handle with care when appropriate.