The Patriots are just days away from kicking off the 2016 season in Arizona. Many questions still surround the team as they prepare to take on the Cardinals, and this week’s Patriots Preview will address some of those questions.
Week One New England Patriots Preview: at Arizona Cardinals
The Quarterback
It will be a tough test right out of the gate for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo without a fully healthy offensive line. Garoppolo seems to have enough skill to win a few games, but he lacks experience in reading defenses. The Cardinals defense was top-five in the league last year, and ranked fourth in interceptions. This could prove to be the fatal blow to any chance the Patriots have of winning the game.
The fact that Arizona’s defense was already one of the best in the league before adding prized pass-rusher Chandler Jones doesn’t help Garoppolo. It also doesn’t help that dual-threat running back Dion Lewis (surgery) won’t be in the lineup Sunday night. Without Lewis as a last-resort out of the backfield, Garoppolo will be forced to make new reads and quick decisions downfield. Not an easy task for a first-year starter against one of the league’s best defenses.
The Offensive Line
The offensive line was the Patriots biggest problem in 2015, and it looks as if it’s the biggest question surrounding the team as they prepare for 2016. Sebastian Vollmer has been placed on the team’s injured reserve list and will likely miss the entire season, meaning Marcus Cannon will start at right tackle for New England. Cannon played four different positions on the offensive line last season and looked very average to below average in a handful of games.
Moving down the line, either Jonathan Cooper or Ted Karras will start at right guard. Cooper is a former first-round pick whose career has been limited due to injuries. Karras is a rookie out of Illinois who earned a spot on the team based off his ability to play at either guard position. Cooper is the projected starter for week one, but Karras could get some playing time if Cooper’s foot injury or lack of repetitions affect his ability to perform.
David Andrews is the starting center this season. His progression in only his second year helped the Patriots decide to release Bryan Stork. Last year, Andrews started 11 games for the Patriots and helped the team start the season 10-0.
Starting at left guard is rookie Joe Thuney, who the Patriots selected in the third round (78th overall) of the 2016 draft. Expected to compete with Josh Kline for first-team reps, Thuney simply outperformed any other contender for the starting job. He is expected to be a solid addition to a shaky offensive line that struggled mightily last season.
The Defense
Although the defense will have its hands full this week between blitzing Carson Palmer, covering Larry Fitzgerald, and stopping David Johnson, the Patriots look good. Aside from Rob Ninkovich‘s suspension, New England’s defense impressed during the pre-season. Chris Long will start in place of Ninkovich. On the other end is Jabaal Sheard, with Malcolm Brown and Alan Branch in between.
Newcomer Barkevious Mingo will hope to see some playing time. He hasn’t seen much time on the field so far, but he impressed once he got the chance. He created pressure and looked like he was doing just fine learning the Patriots defensive scheme. Expect him to play a key role in situational match-ups this week.
All that being said, expect a competitive game. These teams were each one win away from playing in the Super Bowl last season and expect to contend for a conference championship once again. Patriots fans are rightfully concerned about how the team will perform without Tom Brady, but this could potentially be New England’s only loss before his return in week five.
With no regular season games to analyze yet, it will be interesting to see how each team plays. The result of this game is anybody’s guess, but even WEEI radio hosts aren’t confident the Pats can get the job done in the desert. I have to say I agree.
Prediction: Cardinals 27, Patriots 20
