The QB shuffle

These are the dark days for the sons of Sam Adams. Why, Boston hasn't been picked on like this since General Gage blockaded the city for dumping all that tea in the harbor.

Tom Brady?

Gone.

On St. Paddy's Day, no less.

With all the bars closed because of the damn bug, no less.

To the freaking Buccaneers, no less.

The Buccaneers, for God's sake? What, the Pats are chopped liver all of sudden?

Apparently so.

Apparently, because Brady is apparently headed to Tampa Bay,  proving once again that nothing lasts forever. The Colts booted John Unitas out of Baltimore. They booted Peyton Manning out of Indianapolis. Joe Namath finished his career not in Jets' green, but in the blue-and-yellow of the Los Angeles Rams.

And now Brady will finish his, presumably, in whatever color that is the Buccaneers wear. And, speaking of the Colts ...

Here comes Philip Rivers.

He's a 38-year-old quarterback who's spent his entire career with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, but now he's coming to Indianapolis. He was a turnover machine for the Chargers last season, and there's legitimate skepticism as to just how much he's got left in the tank. And whether or not he'll actually be much of an upgrade over Jacoby Brissett.

Rivers' numbers last year: 4,615 yards, 23 touchdowns, 20 interceptions, an 88.5 QBR. Brissett's numbers: 2,942 yards, 18 touchdowns, six picks, an 88.0 QBR.

The difference is, Brissett put up those numbers behind one of the league's better offensive lines, although they didn't always play like it last season. Rivers put up his behind the Seven Blocks of Government Cheese on a 5-11 team.  You've got to figure his numbers will be more in line with 2018 (4,308 yards, 32 touchdowns, 12 picks, a 105.5 QBR) than with 2019.

That's obviously what the Colts are figuring. But we'll see.

And we'll see what Tom Brady looks like in pewter or whatever.

At 42. Playing for the anti-Belichick, Bruce Arians. And playing for a team that finished 7-9 last season behind Jameis Winston and the league's fourth-worst scoring defense.

In the meantime, take heart, all you sons of Sam Adams.

After all, you've still got Cody Kessler.