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Arizona Cardinals vs New England Patriots: Preview, prediction

By Vijay Singaraju

Aug 19, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Brandon Williams (26) warms up before the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 19, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Brandon Williams (26) warms up before the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Arizona Cardinals will be hosting the New England Patriots on Sunday Night Football to kick off the 2016 regular season. 

The New England Patriots will be travelling to University of Phoenix Stadium to face the Arizona Cardinals in the season’s first edition of Sunday Night Football. This is New England’s first visit to Arizona since 2004 in what was Larry Fitzgerald’s first NFL game. Arizona is opening at home for the third straight year in a row.

History: The Cardinals and the Patriots have faced each other 13 times in the regular season, with the Cardinals playing 5 of these games as the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals have an all time 7-6 record against the Patriots. The last win came in Week 12 of the 2012 season where a missed field goal by Stephen Gostkowski in the final seconds gave Arizona a 20-18 win.

What: Arizona Cardinals vs. New England Patriots

Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

When: 5:30 PM Arizona Time (8:30 PM EST)

TV: NBC

Radio: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM

Keys to victory:

Quarterback Carson Palmer and the offense had a less than spectacular preseason. However, head coach Bruce Arians is confident in what the offense is able to execute and is expected to have the team ready. With an improved offensive line and the return of every key pass catcher from last season, Palmer should be ready to get the offense right out of the gate.

Arizona’s running game has been the best it has been in years. David Johnson appears ready to be the Cardinals bell cow and is set for promising year as the featured back. Backups Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington also had a great preseason and will be invaluable when the time comes to change the pace of the game.

In addition, the Cardinals receiving corp is arguably the league’s best and is the same exact group as last year. With each receiver providing something different, the Patriots secondary will have a hard time keeping up with the dangerous group of pass catchers.

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