I have this wild theory that's probably completely unfounded, and without any resource to back it up. But hear me out.
Maybe when Perry sat Trent, he told him that "hey, this season is a wash. The only thing we can really do at this point to make ourselves feel better is to beat the Pats* is to really surprise them. I'm going to sit you for the next few weeks, and all I want you to do in the meantime is study the Pats*. If you don't play, they won't study any game-film on you. When we're ready to play them, you'll come in, and dominate them because you just happen to know every single defensive tendency they have. Sound good?"
Trent: "Will Dakota Fanning keep me company on the bench?"
I know it sounds stupid...and that our coaching staff is nowhere near this devious, but hey...one can dream right?