can our defense can stop the Cardinals? (we will win)

[Saint Pat]

Arizona had the second best passing offense last season so the corners and safeties will be tested and we will see how good they really are. But I feel like Palmer will throw some picks if the front 7 are as good as advertised. Jimmy G needs to be calm and take care of the ball. He shouldn't try to win it by himself and throw to Gronk when in doubt.

 

[aluminum seats]

Reiss had an interesting item contrasting Arians' approach in the preseason with Belichick's--in short, Arizona's starters didn't play much at all. Have to wonder if the Pats approach may make them a bit more prepared to start the season.

Didn’t hurt the Cardinal’s last year, they roared out of the gate 3-0, but of course they weren’t playing the Pats either.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

I think this one's gonna be a low scoring defensive win. 23-17 type game

 

[PF_SU]

The Cardinals had a very good passing attack last year with big-play potential. But for the opener I'm more concerned about their defense against Garoppolo.

 

[Patriots_Master]

Gronk is Jimmy/Brady us best friend and same as edelman, amendola etc

 

[IllegalContact]

Sadly they also caught us at a good time.

until the JimmyG Pats put a beating on the Cards and the rest of the NFL goes 'uh-oh'

 

[PF_SU]

Gronk is Jimmy/Brady us best friend and same as edelman, amendola etc

I think offensively the key will be the TEs. Both as blockers and receivers. Don't expect much from Amendola after missing all that time and Edelman will probably have Tyrann Mathiu on him, so that's no lock either. Anyway, the most important thing will be avoiding turnovers. Garoppolo better play it safe than trying to force something. If it's not there, it's not there.

 

[Wordsmyth]

If Madden 17's any indication, I curb-stomped the Boids with Jimmy. Largette rushed for over 200 with four TDs. Malcolm Butler had two picks, including a pick-six. 55-3 final.

 

[brdmaverick]

They can. But I don't think the Pats are going to be able to score. It'll be a close game with maybe AZ pulling away by a couple of FG's at the end.

This isn't the AZ team that came into Foxboro and beat the Pats last time these two teams met. They're much much better.

That Arizona team you are referring to was led by Kevin Kolb at quarterback and ended the year at 5-11. I'd say this Arizona team is most certainly BETTER than the 2012 version.

Please do NOT mistake me for predicting the Pats will lose this weekend.

The Pats should have beat Arizona in 2012 but didn't, and the Pats should be underdogs to Arizona in 2016 (but I think the Pats pull out a 17-14 squeeker).

 

[brdmaverick]

I think we are all on the edge of our seat in anticipation for this game. After all, this game more than any other in a long long time really can go either way.

After all,

My optimistic side just predicted a 17-14 Pats win in which the Pats defense holds the Cards at bay enough to win.

I could just as easily expect the Pats offense to come out flat and getting pummeled. After all, we saw how bad our offense could be during the last two games last year WITH BRADY.......imagine having a dinged up receiving corp WITHOUT Brady? At least our receivers are healthy.....oh wait.

In all seriousness though, that's the beauty of this. It really can go any way. Will Jimmy G light the world on fire? Will he be a bum? Or will he just be somewhere in the middle? Will the Pats offense support him enough?

This is one of those games in which there really are no silly predictions.

 

[PF_SU]

This is one of those games in which there really are no silly predictions.

This is why every little detail counts. In the end special teams could very well be the tipping point of the game.

Anyway, I hope we can support Garoppolo by running the football decently, easing the pressure on Garoppolo and opening up play action. Perhaps try testing how well Jones is setting the edge.

 

[FourierSeries]

If Madden 17's any indication, I curb-stomped the Boids with Jimmy. Largette rushed for over 200 with four TDs. Malcolm Butler had two picks, including a pick-six. 55-3 final.

Stop playing on rookie difficulty!

 

[InRodWeRust]

Slater??!

heh good analysis though otherwise I do agree.

Hey he's got a 46.0 yards per catch CAREER average! Makes Randy Moss look like a chump!

 

[Wordsmyth]

Stop playing on rookie difficulty!

Wasn't on Rookie...!

 

[FourierSeries]

Wasn't on Rookie...!

Just kidding.

I've actually been enjoying this year's Madden. It's probably the best one on the next gen consoles.

 

[meatface]

Hey he's got a 46.0 yards per catch CAREER average! Makes Randy Moss look like a chump!

He out there on offense a few times every year it seems

 

[mikey m]

I don't see our D having a problem with them (or really anyone for that matter) but I do worry about the O (Jimmy) struggling and putting the D in tough spots. If the Cards can confuse and get to him early it'll be a tough day. If the Oline can hold up enough for JG to execute a solid game plan we'll be right in it.

 

[Kontradiction]

The Cardinals are a very good team, but they aren't the 2007 Patriots or the 85 Bears. I don't get why people are writing this game as an automatic loss. Week 1 anything can happen.

And we don't know which Carson Palmer will show up. He had a great year last year, but he has been mediocre for a number of years prior to that. And Larry Fitzgerald is now 33 which is an age where many elite WRs hit the age wall at a 1,000 miles an hour (see Andre Johnson or Reggie Wayne for example).

I wouldn't bet money on the Pats winning, but I wouldn't be shocked if they did.

Ah... I know this tactic quite well. I employ it all the time. It's called "covering your ass". Sneak in the fact that you call both outcomes and, that way, you're right either way. Touché.

Re: Palmer, he's the reason I think this game could be close in the second half. He is exactly the type of QB that Belichick defenses tend to feast on. I think he's good for 1-2 INT's which will probably come when he tries to force the ball into Brown. I expect a safety to be shaded to his side more often than not.

My doubts about this bad boy come from what our offense can do with the ball once those turnovers happen. I don't think we'll be seeing Lewis and Edelman/Dola (if he even plays) will probably still be trying to shake off the rust. Arizona is a good defense, they're healthy, and they're at home coming off of getting their teeth kicked in during the NFCCG. I think it'll be tough sledding for the offense and AZ will pull away. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

I think we are all on the edge of our seat in anticipation for this game. After all, this game more than any other in a long long time really can go either way.

After all,

My optimistic side just predicted a 17-14 Pats win in which the Pats defense holds the Cards at bay enough to win.

I could just as easily expect the Pats offense to come out flat and getting pummeled. After all, we saw how bad our offense could be during the last two games last year WITH BRADY.......imagine having a dinged up receiving corp WITHOUT Brady? At least our receivers are healthy.....oh wait.

In all seriousness though, that's the beauty of this. It really can go any way. Will Jimmy G light the world on fire? Will he be a bum? Or will he just be somewhere in the middle? Will the Pats offense support him enough?

This is one of those games in which there really are no silly predictions.

...game? What game?

OK, so one of our guys got a bogus four game suspension. Big deal. Another guy got a non-bogus one.

Football season's starting, and it's time to put our game faces on.

Look at the bright side:

- There's no way Tom's gonna get hurt on the field in the first four weeks.

..he still might hurt himself off it, again, but not on it, for sure.


As always, I care more about what happens in January and February, than in September.

 

[patriot1136]

The D needs to put pressure on Palmer and force him out of the pocket. Then he will be prone to making mistakes. We just need to get into his head. Also, isn't Palmer and some of their other big names banged up?