{"id":7908,"date":"2016-09-12T08:52:51","date_gmt":"2016-09-12T12:52:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/?p=7908"},"modified":"2016-09-12T08:53:38","modified_gmt":"2016-09-12T12:53:38","slug":"best-social-media-week-1-patriots-vs-cardinals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2016\/09\/12\/best-social-media-week-1-patriots-vs-cardinals\/","title":{"rendered":"Best of Social Media Week 1: Patriots Vs. Cardinals"},"content":{"rendered":"

Coming into Week 1 of the 2016 regular season, fans of the New England Patriots<\/strong><\/a> had mixed emotions going into their team’s prime time opener against another perennial Super Bowl contender in the Arizona Cardinals.<\/p>\n

The team traveled without some\u00a0of their best weapons and protection. Beginning at quarterback, Brady, out for the month on Deflategate suspension. Jimmy Garoppolo, unproven with zero career NFL starts was thrust under center in his place.<\/p>\n

Tight end Rob Gronkowski was out with hamstring issues that prevented him from flying to Arizona along with two starting linemen in Jonathan Cooper and Nate Solder also unable to go in front of Garoppolo. Lastly, defensive captain Rob Ninkovich, also out with an injury and also suspended.<\/p>\n

The result, a +9.5 point Las Vegas line that saw the Patriots have their largest underdog spread for the first time since Super Bowl XXXVI and fears of an embarrassment in the making out in the desert. While the team may have been confident, many fans and media were unsure of what to expect.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/DougKyed\/status\/775008956221562880<\/p>\n

Former Patriot Chandler Jones met with owner Robert Kraft during pregame warmups.<\/p>\n

\n

Chandler Jones & Robert Kraft met right before #SNF<\/a> tonight. pic.twitter.com\/i6nMSXO1Ze<\/a><\/p>\n

— Only In Boston (@OnlyInBOS) September 12, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n