Thank goodness. Finally.

Our three-week summer nightmare is over: Preseason football.

Especially New England Patriots preseason football.

Nothing good happens in a preseason game. Players get hurt – how’d Patriot fans feel when Jacoby Brissett got leveled on the first series of Sunday night’s practice game finale at the Washington Commanders?

Probably, as awful as it reads or sounds, a little bit more optimistic because that meant you’d see Drake May sooner, on the game’s second series – and he drove them down the field for an 11 play, 88-yard TD drive, completing 5 of 6 for 77 yards. Of course, against the Commanders’ second stringers, maybe a few thirds thrown in there. Still, he went 13 of 20 for 143 yards and a TD, playing almost the whole half save Brissett’s series.

You see, Washington treated this game like the Patriots probably should have, if they didn’t have so many roster decisions to make. In addition to Brissett injuring his shoulder – he remained on the sidelines, but played just that one series – the Patriots also lost key offensive lineman Sidy Sow. Mayo said afterward Brissett could have continued to play if necessary, but they’ll check him out further today.

“I talked to him, we’ll see (today),” Mayo said. “He said he was good.”

It was an offensive line that was, well, offensive. That’s how Brissett got hurt. At least eight penalties, thanks to a league point of emphasis, and the rest just to bad players looking confused.

“It’s the lack of discipline that they showed today,” Mayo said. “It starts with me, I have to be more diligent getting on those guys for pre-snap penalties. … If you see them calling those kinds of plays you have to self correct it and get better. We just didn’t do that tonight.”

One of those calls took away a great athletic play by Maye when he connected on a long TD to veteran K.J. Osborn.

This is why you don’t play Maye right away, if Brissett isn’t hurt. You don’t want to see him face planted into the ground behind that line that is a mess right now. And you also have to take into account that the ‘Wow’ factor of the ability Maye showed last night was aided by the fact he was going up against second stringers,as well was vanilla defenses. But the ability is certainly there.

When the bell rings, that’s what you want to see, and you will see Maye this season. Probably sooner than later; you can bet Robert and Jonathan Kraft were wowed by what they saw in the first half last night.

“It felt good being out there,” Maye said, adding “It was a good learning experience for us. … I think we’re getting there. … Just looking forward to see what the NFL season is like.

“I’m ready for whatever this football team asks of me.”

You can also bet the Patriots will comb the waiver wire the next couple of days to try to bolster that line.

“Our job is to always look for better players,” Mayo said. “We’ll be very active on the waiver wire, there will be some good football players out there on the street and we’ll try to get this team better.”

But the best part about last night? When NBC’s Mike Tirico uttered these words on the broadcast when the clock hit 0:00:

“The preseason is over.”

Hallelujah.

Tom King may be reached at X @Telegraph_TomK, or via email at tking@nashuatelegraph.com