ESPN NFL

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Tom Brady, nursing a foot injury, didn't start and was expected to miss his third straight preseason game Friday night when the New England Patriots played the Philadelphia Eagles.

Brady, who has practiced sporadically but hasn't played in a game, wasn't seen on the sidelines when backup quarterback Matt Cassel took the field to direct the Patriots' first series.

Short-handed New England looked sluggish in a 27-17 loss.

Brady, a two-time Super Bowl MVP and last season's NFL MVP, didn't make the trip to Tampa, Fla., for last Sunday's 27-10 loss to the Buccaneers. He said the next day he had a right foot injury. He also sat out the first exhibition game, a 16-15 home loss to Baltimore which he watched from the sideline in his jersey.

He was not seen at practice Tuesday during the period, lasting about 15 minutes, in which the media was allowed to watch. But he was there during the viewing period on Wednesday when he was seen stretching, throwing lightly, handing off and appearing to move in a usual manner.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press