Patriots corner Lewis Sanders, deflecting a pass away from the Ravens’ Yamon Figurs in an exhibition game Aug. 7, and New England’s defense have not yet reached their pinnacle.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

FOXBORO –– While for the most part the New England Patriots haven’t looked like an 18-1 team during their first two preseason contests, there might not be as much tinkering to do as it appears.

Bill Belichick was asked yesterday about his team’s preparation for the exhibition season, and Belichick said that while his players are prepped on what to expect from opponents, a game plan outlining countermeasures isn’t drawn up for this time of year.

The problem, Belichick noted, is that most players play a fewer than normal number of snaps, and outlining a game plan is superfluous.

“The issue you get into in preseason is when you are playing at least two players in every position, and sometimes three players in every position, is realistically how many plays do you want to have in a game?” Belichick said. “You are not playing a full 160-play game like you normally do; each guy is maybe playing 30 plays. You plan for a 160-play game, but if nobody is in there for more than 30, then you’re working on a lot of stuff that you are not going to run, and when they do run, they haven’t been well prepared for it.

“I just don’t feel like that is the best way for us to go. I would like our players to have confidence at what they do out there in preseason. They know what to do so we can evaluate them.”

It is almost like live play installation: the players know to run certain plays in certain situations, and how they execute those plays — and not necessarily the end result — is what they’re evaluated on.

“In the regular season, you look at a team’s strengths and weaknesses,” Belichick said. “You maybe want to stay away from their strengths and attack some of their weaknesses. I think in the preseason my attitude is more to run the plays that you want to run, and if it happens to be their strength, then you find out how you can execute against the strong point of a team. If it happens to hit into one of their weaknesses, that’s fine and hopefully you’ll be productive.”

So while you’re taking a sky-is-falling attitude about the offense, which has just 410 total yards in two games, or the run defense, which gave up 4.7 yards per carry against the Buccaneers, know that things may not be as bad as they seem. There’s always a method to Belichick’s ways.

No pads for Brady

The Patriots held a full-pads practice on the fields behind Gillette Stadium yesterday. On the positive side, WR Kelley Washington, CB Jonathan Wilhite, CB Lewis Sanders, S Rodney Harrison, RB LaMont Jordan and LB Adalius Thomas returned to practice after absences of varying lengths. … But not spotted were QB Tom Brady, CB Jason Webster, DB Brandon Meriweather, CB Mike Richardson, FB Kyle Eckel, T Ryan O’Callaghan, G/C Russ Hochstein, T Matt Light, G Billy Yates, TE Stephen Spach, WR Sam Aiken and DL Le Kevin Smith. Meriweather and Yates were hurt against Tampa Bay. … Brady was spotted in workout clothes throwing to an unseen receiver on the turf inside Gillette; he did not appear to be wearing a brace on either foot, though he was wearing cleats. … Offensive linemen Stephen Neal and Oliver Ross, the last players on the physically unable to perform list, were being put through drills on a separate field during practice.

smanza@projo.com