Garoppolo was extremely successful on the Patriots’ first offensive drive of the game, as well as the first opportunity in the third quarter, an indication he is very comfortable in a scripted environment.
Advertisement
Despite a sometimes-spectacular night by Fitzgerald, the Cardinals opened the season with a 23-21 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday night after Matt Catanzaro missed a 47-yard field goal in the final minute. He was at that moment 14-for-20 for 182 yards and seemed to be far less impressed by the Arizona defense than the oddsmakers in Las Vegas had been when they made the Patriots a 91⁄2-point dog by game time.
It came in the form of a wide-left field goal by Catanzaro after a low-and-wide snap by new long snapper Kameron Canaday. “A Super Bowl-caliber team, at least that’s what they’re talking about”.
Coach Bill Belichick wasn’t ready to crown Garoppolo the next Tom Brady, though.
The scary part for the rest of the National Football League is it’s now suddenly feasible the Patriots can go 4-0 with Garoppolo and welcome back a rested Brady after that – the next three are at home. New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) scrambles against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz.
The best two players for the Cardinals were who you’d expect. The Patriot offense converted 10-16 3rd downs…think about that…without the future Hall of Fame QB and TE on the field.
They were throwing Garoppolo into a hostile enviroment against a nasty, speedy, blitzing defense while relying mostly on a bevy of banged-up wideouts.
There was a report that Fitzgerald has told people close to him that this would be his previous year as a player. “It is not ideal but he made a lot of good plays”, Bilichick said.
New England went 63 yards on 12 plays but was forced to settle for a 47-yard field goal by Gostkowski.
Garoppolo had four receivers which he was able to go to, which was nice given that Rob Gronkowski was a scratch for the game due to a hamstring injury. In the receiving end, Edelman posted 66 yards in seven recetpions while Chris Hogan added 60 yards and a touchdown in three catches. Danny Amendola had three catches, including a 32-yarder.
Hogan, making his Patriot debut, hauled in Garoppolo’s first touchdown pass as a starter. Garoppolo launched a ideal touch pass and the Patriots had an early 7-0 lead.
Blount had an uneven game.
Garoppolo’s performance has impressed some fans and analysts and lead to the question and speculations that the Patriots should trade Brady so they can start their rebuilding in New England. Consistency was unfortunately not a hallmark of Blount in this game. On one play in the fourth quarter, facing first down at their own 43, Johnson broke off on a right tackle run and was stuffed at the line of scrimmage.
“He’s incredible”, Patriots safety Devin McCourty said of Garoppolo.
Arizona’s Carson Palmer threw for 271 yards and two touchdowns, both to Larry Fitzgerald. He finished 22 of 37 with a 101.0 passer rating.
The Seahawks sacked Tannehill four times and hit him eight times, with Branden Albert and Laremy Tunsil each allowing sacks.
The Patriots’ passing game is complex, but it’s built to get passers into a simple rhythm, even green ones such as Garoppolo.
The Patriots also lost two fumbles in the game, giving the Cardinals a serious amount of momentum. “I’m just going to have to move forward”.
Advertisement
Remember how this was supposed to fuel the anger in Brady when he returned, to the point that when he returned, he would be an unstoppable vengeful force at quarterback?
