The return of the best defensive player in the NFC, Tyrann Mathieu. The Panthers and Broncos are scheduled for a rematch on opening night, Thursday Sept. 8, and the Brady-less Patriots are visiting Arizona to play the Cardinals on Sunday Night Football on NBC on Sept. 11.
Advertisement
The bad memories, as is tradition, still linger.
On Tom Brady’s ability to play well into his late 30s: “Every year you get away from 35 you’re stealing years, because history tells us – and past performance predicts future achievement – history tells us that quarterbacks don’t last that long”. The No. 1 thing they can’t do on defense is they can’t give up the big play. There was also Monday Night Football in New Orleans, where the eventual Super Bowl champion Saints handed the Patriots a 38-17 thrashing. And I think if that happens to be the case – and we’re going to know that after four weeks – is this system conducive for Jimmy?
The 2012 season broke the Patriots’ brief primetime road winning streak, but you could argue it was because of the replacement referees that ruined the beginning of that season. “But we seem to be doing a pretty good job of it right now”.
ESPN unveiled their Super Bowl picks and the Arizona Cardinals are heavily represented. He’s urging players to stand together on the issues that really matter because they’ll have a lasting impact.
The players will get psyched for this game, but not the coaches, Arians added.
On to the 2013 season, when the Patriots marched into Atlanta to play the Falcons. How in the world will the Patriots win this game? The Cardinals had Kevin Kolb at quarterback, Ryan Williams at running back, and Quentin Groves was a key linebacker.
While offensive tackle does appear to be one of the weakest spots on the Patriots roster, if Belichick thought this was an area of major need, I think he’d have addressed it already. They’ve got to be able to run the ball out of two tight ends effectively to change the pace of the game and put the pace in their hands.
The Patriots rush attack ranked 30th in the league in 2015.
On if Garoppolo will re-sign with the Patriots after this season: “The one thing I know about quarterbacks is they like the system they play in, and they don’t want to leave”.
While it’s a big game to start the year, Belichick often treats the first month as an extension of the preseason, so I don’t think you’re going to see anything exceptionally exotic. Only one of those losses (Kansas City, of course) was by more than six points. The NFL is by far the most popular sport in America.
The Cardinals are a hard test for Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo with their strong secondary and blitz-heavy schemes.
Of the offense, he pointed to the challenges a two tight end scheme imposes on a defense, saying “Well they’re just like us”.
Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer barely played in the preseason and shrugs off the two interceptions he had returned for touchdowns.
Advertisement
One of the most steadfast stands players are likely to take relates directly to Brady, though. You shouldn’t be surprised at this point. You play to be in the game and play. Cardinals general manager Steve Keim then went out and traded for Patriots linebacker Chandler Jones to pair opposite promising pass rusher Markus Golden. Don’t let a strong effort surprise you; it should be expected.
