PatsFans.com Menu
PatsFans.com - The Hub For New England Patriots Fans

New England Patriots > Patriots Blog

Three Patriots Players to Watch Against the Cardinals

Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri on Twitter
September 9, 2016 at 11:31 am ET

Three Patriots Players to Watch Against the Cardinals(PHOTO: Winslow Townson - USA TODAY Sports)

🕑 Read Time: 3 minutes

A Trio of Veterans Who’ll Have to Step Up in Phoenix

The Patriots take on the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday Night Football and have their work cut out for themselves if they want to fly home with a victory. They’ll be playing without key players Tom Brady, Dion Lewis, Rob Ninkovich and Sebastian Vollmer and they’ll be facing an Arizona team that is primed for a deep playoff run.

If they want to come out of Phoenix with a victory, they’re going to need a total team effort. However there a few players who will have to step up and will no doubt play key roles in the Patriots game plan on Sunday.

Here are our three players from a Patriots perspective to watch on Sunday Night:

 Defensive End Chris Long: The veteran defensive end has had an impressive training camp and preseason after signing a one-year free agent deal coming from the Rams this spring. And with Rob Ninkovich out for the first month of the season, he’ll be looked to for veteran leadership and production.

long-slater

Long is finally healthy after two injury-plagued years and found there was little call for his services this spring. He knows the Cardinals well, having faced them twice a year for his entire career in the NFC West. He’s had some good games against Arizona in the past and he knows Carson Palmer isn’t the most mobile of QBs.

Long has got his quickness back and has exhibited a nice spin move in the pass rushing department this summer. And facing running back David Johnson, he’s being looked to set the edge in the running game. That is something he’s been very good at doing thus far and it will be of even greater importance on Sunday.

Under the bright lights of a nationally televised game, Long is wanting to show that’s he’s healthy and ready to contribute in a big way again. We haven’t heard much from him this week. Expect that to change on Sunday night.

Tight End Rob Gronkowski: The big man has been hurting since pulling up lame in a joint practice with the Chicago Bears. Yelling in pain that was audible across the practice field, his hamstring still, admittedly isn’t 100 percent. He spoke with the media on Thursday and stated that he wasn’t even sure that he was going to play on Sunday. It is probably going to be a last minute decision, depending on how well he can run during the early warmups in Phoenix.

Rob Gronkowski is a force multiplier for the Patriots offense.

Rob Gronkowski is a force multiplier for the Patriots offense.

Other than Brady, no one is more indispensable to the team’s success than Gronk. He possesses a skill set like no other tight end in the NFL. He’s what we used to refer to Special Forces, a “force multiplier”. When he’s on the field, the opposition has to put so many resources designed just to stop him, that it increases the productivity of the remaining players on the field. And even then, he’s still difficult to stop.

I expect Gronk to play some against the Cardinals. And when he’s on the field he can be a difference-maker, 100 percent or not. His presence will be one of a calming influence on Garoppolo, knowing that he’ll either stay in to block or attack the secondary down the seams. As many know, Brady has used Gronkowski split wide to get a pre-snap read on if the defense is in zone or man coverage, depending upon who lines up opposite him. That is a small but important factor that may help the young quarterback going thru his baptism of fire on Sunday night.

Wide Receiver Chris Hogan: The free agent signee from the Bills has had a relatively quiet but nevertheless impressive spring and summer with the Patriots. Never having a defined role and always looked to be replaced in Buffalo, he’s worked hard and has seamlessly integrated into the Patriots offense. He rapidly gained the all-important trust factor with QBs Tom Brady and Jimmy Garroppolo.

Chris Hogan looked very impressive on Weds' practice

Chris Hogan has looked very impressive all summer.

With Gronkowski and Julian Edelman always bearing the brunt of the defense’s attention, it will be up to the others in the offense, like Hogan, Martellus Bennett, and James White to step up and make their presence felt.

Hogan should be facing single coverage on Sunday night. With the Cardinals looking to be aggressive against Garoppolo in his first NFL start, Hogan may be the safety valve that the Patriots need to keep the chains moving and giving Jimmy G. the easier throws he will need to get into a rhythm. Hogan is my choice for the Patriots player to have a big night offensively. Like Chris Long, he’s wanting to show on a national stage that he too just needed another opportunity to shine.

Honorable Mentions: D.J. Foster, Dont’a Hightower and Barkevious Mingo

Follow me on Twitter @SteveB7SFG or email me at [email protected]

Listen to our Patriots 4th and 2 podcasts on blog talk radio as the writers Russ Goldman, Derek Havens and I from PatsFans.com discuss the latest Patriots news Wednesdays at 12 noon.

Like this article?
Support Steve and buy him a coffee.

READ NEXT:
ICYMI VIDEO: Rob Corrdry’s Guide To Making It Without Tom Brady

About Steve Balestrieri

A former US Army Special Forces NCO and Officer, Steve has been following the Patriots since their days at Fenway Park. Steve has worked in the film industry and wrote as an Military Editor at SpecialOperations.com, 1945.com as a reporter for the Millbury Daily Voice, Millbury-Sutton Chronicle, and the Grafton News. He's also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)


Posted Under: Patriots Commentary
Tags: 2016 Patriots season Bill Belichick Chris Hogan Chris Long Danny Amendola Dion Lewis Dont'a Hightower Jabaal Sheard Jimmy Garoppolo Julian Edelman LaGarrette Blount Malcolm Butler New England Patriots NFL Patriots edge rushers Rob Gronkowski Tom Brady

  • Comments are closed.

  • More Patriots News Headlines:

    MORSE: NFL Adopts New Rules for 2024

    MORSE: NFL Adopts New Rules for 2024

    By: Mark Morse
    At the League meetings this week in Orlando, the NFL adopted several new rule changes.  The two most controversial changes were the new kickoff rule…
    20 hours ago
    Thursday Patriots Notebook 3/28: News and Notes

    Thursday Patriots Notebook 3/28: News and Notes

    By: Ian Logue
    As the Patriots continue pondering what to do with the #3 pick, if history is any indication, should they trade out of that spot, they're…
    21 hours ago
    Wednesday Patriots Notebook 3/27: News and Notes

    Wednesday Patriots Notebook 3/27: News and Notes

    By: Ian Logue
    New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said on Tuesday that 'we're going to be open to whatever can come our way,' heading into next month's…
    2 days ago
    Tuesday Patriots Notebook 3/26: News and Notes

    Tuesday Patriots Notebook 3/26: News and Notes

    By: Ian Logue
    It's been interesting to hear the reactions following Jerod Mayo's press conference on Monday, and at the rate things are going, it's likely that he'll…
    3 days ago
    TRANSCRIPT: Patriots Owner Robert Kraft at the Owner’s Meetings 3/26

    TRANSCRIPT: Patriots Owner Robert Kraft at the Owner’s Meetings 3/26

    By: Ian Logue
    Here's the full transcript of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft's meeting with the media on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
    3 days ago

    Share via
    Copy link
    Powered by Social Snap
    Search For Links: - CLOSE
    For searches with multiple players
    add commas (Ex: "Bill Belichick, Devin McCourty")