Patriots discussion: Musket Fire Roundtable 5/26
Connor Fulton – The Patriots face the NFC West this season. Tell me which team the Patriots will have the hardest time against, and which team the Pats will cruise by.
Cyrus Geller – Week one against the Cardinals with or without Tom Brady will be the toughest game for the Pats against the NFC West. You could make an argument that the Cardinals and Patriots are the two most talented teams in the NFL this season, and if you factor in Brady potentially missing the game, it will be struggle for New England. As for the easiest game, it has to be the Niners. I don’t think they will be as bad as they were last year, but they certainly won’t be much of a challenge. That could be a nice stat-padding game for Brady and company.
Hal Bent – Week 1 in primetime in Arizona potentially without Tom Brady? That is hands-down the toughest game of the season, let alone against the NFC West. Factor in that the Patriots usually take a few games to get up to speed (come-from-behind 23-21 win vs Buffalo in 2013; loss in Miami in 2014 opening game, 28-21 close win against Pittsburgh opening 2015) and this match-up versus Carson Palmer and the ferocious defense of the Cardinals is going to be tough for New England.
The NFC West is one of the strongest divisions in the NFL. The Patriots will have tough match-ups versus the top-ranked Seattle defense, the great pass defense in Arizona, and hopefully will have an interior offensive lineman capable of blocking Aaron Donald when they host the Rams in December. The only team they should cruise by is the woeful San Francisco 49ers. Even that game will be no picnic as they come off a prime time match-up versus Seattle on Sunday night then travel cross-country to face San Francisco.
Jaydeen Allen – In terms of a cake walk, you can throw the Los Angeles Rams. Their defense is stout, especially their defensive line, but they will have either Nick Foles or a rookie QB (Jared Goff) leading their team. They are still a team building itself (seems they have been for years). The Rams have given their division opponents upset losses, but on the road AND at Gillette stadium seems like a really tall task.
Most would believe the Seattle Seahawks, who are looking for revenge, will be the most challenging game, but you can also throw their season opener vs. the Arizona Cardinals. It’s the first game of the season (first couple games usually are challenging for Bill Belichick teams) and Jimmy Garoppolo could possibly be the starting QB.
Kirk von Kreisler – I’ll have to agree with Jay here. While the Seattle Seahawks visiting Gillette Stadium will be one hell of a challenge, as of now, the most difficult game on the schedule has to be at the desert to battle the Arizona Cardinals. Whether or not the suspension is completely unwarranted, it looks like Jimmy Garoppolo will be the starting quarterback with the national audience of Sunday Night Football watching on opening weekend.
No question, the Los Angeles Rams, coming into Gillette and likely with a rookie quarterback starting has the right factors for a blowout. Although, the Rams have a loaded defensive line of Aaron Donald, Robert Quinn, Michael Brockers, and Dominique Easley that will give the Patriots offensive line fits. However, nothing on the San Francisco 49ers gives me nightmares. Tom Brady visiting Santa Clara, near his hometown of San Mateo, against a questionable roster and new head coach, Chip Kelly, has the makings of a cakewalk all over it. Early signs are pointing to Brady and company throttling the 49ers.
Next: AFC Power Rankings: Pats top post-draft edition
Stay tuned for another Thursday Roundtable next week.