Tom Brady Suspension forcing youngsters into action
By Jon Dove
It appears that we are at the end of the Tom Brady suspension fiasco that was a result of deflate-gate.
The Tom Brady suspension means that the New England Patriots will likely go with Jimmy Garoppolo as the starting quarterback for the first 4 games of the season. This will be Garoppolo’s first meaningful action in the NFL.
Those first 4 games are against the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills. The biggest games in that stretch are against the two AFC East teams which could impact the playoff race.
Arizona and Houston are also solid teams that are likely to be favored in their match ups against the Patriots. It’s 100% possible that New England opens the season 0-4 with two divisional losses.
There’s a heavy burden being placed on the shoulders of Garoppolo. New England’s offensive success relies heavily on Brady’s accuracy, quick decision making and poise. His ability to throw his receivers open is also key.
New England’s receivers such as Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola are most effective when they are given the opportunity to pick up yards after the catch. It’s a similar situation with the running backs who are asked to play a big role in the passing game.
Dion Lewis and James White are solid route runners who also make their impact by picking up yards after the catch.
Garoppolo’s saving grace is Rob Gronkowski who has proven he can make tough catches in traffic. His combination of size, speed and toughness makes him a great target for a young quarterback.
The newly acquired Martellus Bennett will also help as he’s another big-bodied target who can adjust to poorly thrown balls.
New England is use to being in the playoff hunt and are expecting to be in the same boat this year. It’ll be interesting to see how long of a leash Garoppolo will have to find a rhythm. At this point, rookie Jacoby Brissett is the only other quarterback on the roster.
Brissett is a physically talented individual but is very raw as a quarterback. This is one of the main reasons why the Patriots are likely looking at bringing in a veteran signal caller to serve as Garoppolo’s backup.