Opening Thought: The Patriots play their third pre-season game tonight in Carolina against the Panthers. Teams have traditionally played their starters the most in the third pre-season game. The Patriots have played their starters a fair amount thus far this pre-season so it will be interesting to see how much Brady and company play.

Here are five things to look for tonight.

1. Brady’s Playing Time: It will be interesting to see if Tom Brady plays in the second half. There is a good chance he plays at least a half. Anything more than that may depend on his performance and the team’s performance in the first half.

2. Will Gronkowski Play: The expectation is that Rob Gronkowski will play tonight but It begs the question. What is the benefit of playing Gronkowski? We all know what he can do. My guess is, he plays at least a quarter.

3. Big Night for Key Guys: Tonight is a big night for guys like Mike Gillislee, Jeremy Hill Cyrus Jones and others. It might be their last chance to prove that they deserve a spot on the roster.

4. Defense Must Build Off Of Last Week: The starting defense played very well last week. They need to build off of that performance tonight and play well. Cam Newton and the Panthers receivers will challenge the Patriots defense, especially the secondary.

5. Keep the Starters Healthy: The most important thing tonight is to come out of this game healthy. The starters are expected to play three quarters plus. The Patriots cannot lose a key starter again like they did last pre-season when Julian Edelman tore his ACL against Detroit.

Final Thoughts: It is the last time the starters play this pre-season. Polishing up on what has been installed and staying healthy are paramount tonight.