Consuming some extremely optimistic Patriots coverage this week made me wonder if there were two quarterbacks named Brian Hoyer and I was only familiar with the nondescript veteran backup.
The lifelong holder of clipboards I thought I knew would never be confused with an NFL starter at this juncture, and he certainly wouldn't be given a chance of going into Green Bay and beating Aaron Rodgers.
Yet everywhere I turned, someone else popped up to say the Patriots would be no worse with Hoyer than starter Mac Jones; that Hoyer knew the offense just as well and could be a safe, effective game manager; that Hoyer might actually be preferable at this particular moment because he's not pouting about anything.