What2Watch4: Cardinals vs. Pats

[kerouac9]

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/what2watch4-patriots-vs-cardinals/

It's been a while since I did one of these. I think this game is going to be closer than we want it to be. I think you'll be surprised who I believe the X Factor will be.

 

[BigRedRage]

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/what2watch4-patriots-vs-cardinals/

It's been a while since I did one of these. I think this game is going to be closer than we want it to be. I think you'll be surprised who I believe the X Factor will be.

Gronk didnt make the trip to AZ

I dont see anything about xfactor, is it Gronk because he is mentioned 3 times? Or HB?

 

[BurqueCardFan]

This is definitely a "trap" game for the Cardinals. With Brady, Lewis and Nickovich out for the Pats, this was already looking like a rough road trip. Now, if news of Gronk not even making the trip is correct, it seems as if the Pats are even somewhat conceding this game. I hope the Cards don't become overconfident.

 

[kerouac9]

If Gronk is not available in this game, it becomes very, very winnable. I like Michael Bennett a lot, but he's more dangerous as a secondary weapon. I don't have a ton of fear for any of those Patriot wideouts.

All the Cardinals offense and special teams have to do it not s--- the bed.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

Man - K9 is a little rusty - you should have used the preseason to your advantage on these

 

[Shane]

This is definitely a "trap" game for the Cardinals. With Brady, Lewis and Nickovich out for the Pats, this was already looking like a rough road trip. Now, if news of Gronk not even making the trip is correct, it seems as if the Pats are even somewhat conceding this game. I hope the Cards don't become overconfident.

Trap game?? No freaking way

 

[Shane]

Yea don't see anything about an "X factor"

 

[kerouac9]

Trap game?? No freaking way

I agree with this. It's impossible for the first game of a season—a home opener on Sunday Night Football—to be a trap game. The Bills game is much more likely to be a "trap game" (cross-country out-of-conference road game with two divisional opponents following).

 

[Cardiac]

I do enjoy these K9, thanks for the great info.

With the Pats missing so many weapons we have better win this one.

 

[MadCardDisease]

The key to this game will be how the Cardinals offense does in the Red Zone. Carson need to protect the ball and not force throws in the Red Zone that result in INTs. If the Cardinals can convert Red Zone trips to TDs then I don't think the Patriots can keep up with that kind of scoring.

 

[oaken1]

based on that,...if gronk aint coming,....we can mail this one in apparently.

 

[SO91]

If Gronk is not available in this game, it becomes very, very winnable. I like Michael Bennett a lot, but he's more dangerous as a secondary weapon. I don't have a ton of fear for any of those Patriot wideouts.

All the Cardinals offense and special teams have to do it not s--- the bed.

Their OLine is kind of a mess right now with injuries. Missing a T and G, and starting a rookie opposite Calais. We should leave no doubts that this is a dominant team, but I fear they'll come out flat and maybe s--- the bed, as you said.

Also:

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[CardNots]

Trap game?? No freaking way

+1

 

[Jetstream Green]

It's the Pats, first game of the season on prime time... this in no way could be seen as a contest which is going to viewed lightly by our players, trap game this is not

 

[kerouac9]

Their OLine is kind of a mess right now with injuries. Missing a T and G, and starting a rookie opposite Calais. We should leave no doubts that this is a dominant team, but I fear they'll come out flat and maybe s--- the bed, as you said.

Also:

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Good teams completely dismantle bad teams.

Tehy haven't had Vollmer or Jackson through training camp. Solder doesn't appear to be on the injury list, at least. I don't think that they're getting a lot of heartburn about their OL personnel. All those guys got a ton of PT during last year's cluster-fire.

The question is whether Garrappolllos weapons are enough to bail him out. People forget that that 2008 team had Randy Moss on it.

 

[cardncubfan]

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/what2watch4-patriots-vs-cardinals/

It's been a while since I did one of these. I think this game is going to be closer than we want it to be. I think you'll be surprised who I believe the X Factor will be.

Thanks for doing these k9. I for one appreciate it & look forward to them each week.

 

[football karma]

This game has gone from ... Tough match-up... to... Easier with Brady out......to....... Should win.

Solder, Cooper and Gronk + Brady. That's four starters out of 11.

 

[slanidrac16]

There is no way in the world this is a trap game. The Patrionts and the Cards are tied for the best winning percentage (.750) over the last 3 years. The Patriots could field half of Boston College for this game and it wouldn't be a trap game.

 

[CFLredzoned]

Jamie Collins, OLB, #91 vs. ?????????, FB

Here's another matchup to watch - Jamie Collins vs the Cardinals FB that doesn't exist. They have him listed as OLB, but it looks like they line him up all over the LOS. They had Brusci showing it on NFL Live. He said when there's problems with the run game, they use Collins to disrupt it. It looked like Daryl Washington the way they were using him - shooting up the A gap. The guy gets to the ball carrier quick!

It's funny how fast things change because in the San Diego preseason game, LBs and DBs were in the Cardinals backfield all night, blowing up every run play. Mitch talked about how it might be time for a FB. It looked like the sky was falling for a minute, but then that seemed to be the last of it. The rest of the PS, we heard nothing but how great the Cardinals run game looked. So why was that? Did they figure out a solution? Or were teams just playing vanilla defenses? We'll find because it looks like we'll be seeing alot of Jamie Collins tomorrow. If the Cardinals expect to have any success running the ball, they have to figure out a way to deal with him.

 

[Dr. Jones]

This game has gone from ... Tough match-up... to... Easier with Brady out......to....... Should win.

Solder, Cooper and Gronk + Brady. That's four starters out of 11.

And you forgot their best Pass Rusher is out also.

 

[AZCrazy]

Their best pass rusher is on our team now.
Isn't Edelman injured too?

Oh, and Jamie Collins? Meet Mike Iupati and Evan Mathis.

 

[SO91]

Good teams completely dismantle bad teams.

Tehy haven't had Vollmer or Jackson through training camp. Solder doesn't appear to be on the injury list, at least. I don't think that they're getting a lot of heartburn about their OL personnel. All those guys got a ton of PT during last year's cluster-fire.

The question is whether Garrappolllos weapons are enough to bail him out. People forget that that 2008 team had Randy Moss on it.

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Vollmer and Jackson have been out (PUP), and now their 1st team LT, and RG are out, along with 1st team RB and Gronk. The guys that got a ton of PT last year are still not very good. It worked until the AFCCG because Brady got the ball out of his hands in the fastest time last year, if the link I read from NFL.com is accurate. They still have a good defense, so if Palmer has one of those days, we'll be in trouble.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The key will be the Patriots trying to take advantage of the rookie CB. The Cardinals should take advantage that by having Matthieu cheat to William's side and jump the balls that Garoppolo tries to force Williams' way.

That should be the strategy. Brandon Williams as bait. Honey Badger as the hook.

 

[Garthshort]

While we should win, I ALWAYS worry going up against a Bill B. coached team.

 

[oaken1]

While we should win, I ALWAYS worry going up against a Bill B. coached team.

first game of the season too...if this was in NE I would be in a panic... but being in the nest I feel better about it. Really hoping the crowd makes a serious impact this week.