There was nothing pretty about it.
The New England Patriots got crushed on primetime television in Thursday's AFC East divisional showdown with the New York Jets.
This was either a reality game that gave us a glimpse into the possibility that the Patriots aren't that much better than they were a year ago at this juncture, or it was simply the product of a worn out team going on the road on a short week of football.
It's tempting to cling to the latter to facilitate as much hope as possible for the team, but at the same time, it's hard to stay optimistic after seeing them get pummeled so easily by the Jets.