Thank goodness that’s over.

The New England Patriots preseason, we mean.

Especially the third game. It may be great for those players who want to get game tape before they’re cut, but the NFL should be ashamed of themselves for charging full price for that 42-10 New York Giants-Patriots slop on Thursday night. There was hardly anyone besides Giants heralded rookie QB Jaxon Dart between the lines on the MetLife Stadium turf that is going to be on a 53-man roster after cutdown day on Tuesday.

Even though it was probably the best Giants backup Tommy Devito ever played in his life. The Patriots chose to give rookie QB Ben Wooldridge the ball for the entire game and let’s face it, they’re in trouble if anything happens to Drake Maye as first backup Josh Dobbs hasn’t exactly been a ball of fire.

But let’s all keep one thing in mind: What happened on Thursday night in the Meadowlands didn’t mean a blessed thing, except to say the Patriots lack roster depth. It won’t even be a memory when the lights come on for real in two weeks.

That being said, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel certainly doesn’t want a losing attitude to take hold in his locker room.

“It’s a clear and easy example to show the team when we give up x plays, have penalties on defense… we’re going to struggle,” he said. “It’ll be easy to teach from to show where we were in other gams and where we were tonight. … Disappointed with how we played and/or executed.

“There’s glimpses of football which we like to play it. … We’re so far from where we need to be. Just trying to get that message across.”

Vrabel never has a problem getting his message to his players. His vision of the team he wants will take hold; it just won’t happen in the third and final preseason game now or any year.

“We started to have an identity. You have to put it on tape each and every day. We were headed in the right direction. Doesn’t matter who you play in this league, it’s got to come from your team. Your team has to look a certain way, whether it’s the first string guys or the guys who are trying to build some depth … that has to carry through.

Vrabel gets his message across, the good and the bad. He made sure to go over and congratulate Chicago-born receiver Jeremiah Webb after his TD reception and leap into the stands. “I’m having a blast,” the undrafted rookie said. He’ll have just as much fun on the practice squad, he could be useful. Another receiver, Javon Baker, didn’t look good and it would be surprising if he made the team.

Vrabel gave defensive lineman Keion White some reps because, as he said, he wanted him to work on some things the two had discussed in a game situation. White hasn’t had a good summer. Vrabel had safety Jabrill Peppers out there with rookie Craig Woodson and said he wanted to see how the two played together. He had good things to say about safety Kyle Dugger, who had an interception, reminding us all he had surgery and had to rehab. Likely to put the word out, as has been reported, the Patriots are open for business where Dugger is concerned.

“I think he’s gotten better,” Vrabel said. ” I think he’s feeling better. I thought he flashed, I thought he triggered, I thought he tackled …Those things I thought showed up tonight.”

Who stays? Who goes?

“We’re going to continue to try to strengthen the roster every way we can,” Vrabel said. “There’s a couple of options, right, you can try to trade for players, you can claim some players next week. … that’s what we’re going to do over the next 10 days.”

And we got the Godfather Part II quote.

“The roster’s gonna change,” he said. ” That’s part of the business we’re in. … That’s the life we’ve chosen.”

We choose to say good riddance to the preseason; let’s get going with the real deal.

Tom King may be reached at @Telegraph_TomK on twitter, or tking@nashuatelegraph.com