The biggest storyline going into the 2016 season for the New England Patriots is that their future Hall of Fame quarterback will miss the first four games of the year.

Tom Brady was suspended by the NFL for his alleged role in “Deflategate” during the 2015 AFC Championship Game, a story that many are glad has finally come to an end.

The Pats have been Super Bowl contenders for the better part of the last 15 years with Brady behind centre. Will that change with the four-time Super Bowl champion sidelined for a quarter of the season?

It’s very unlikely.

An opening week road contest against the Arizona Cardinals followed by three home games against the Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills will be Jimmy Garoppolo’s first four starts of his career, barring injury or unforeseen roster changes. Not an easy schedule, but not an overly hard one either.

If Garoppolo goes down, third-round pick Jacoby Brissett would be the main man in charge, which would be a lot to ask of the 22-year-old from North Carolina State. 

So who is Jimmy Garoppolo? Let’s get to know the interim QB for one of the most successful franchises in NFL history.

instagram embed


AGE: 24
BORN: Franklin Park, IL
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6’2”/225 pounds
COLLEGE: Eastern Illinois University
DRAFTED: 2014 - Round 2 (62nd overall pick)
CAREER STATS: 188 yards passing with one touchdown in 11 appearances over two seasons

But, how’s his game? What can he bring to the table as the captain of the Pats’ offence?

This is what one scout had to say about Garoppolo in a draft analysis for NFL.com back in 2014.

“Possesses the physical tools to eventually earn an NFL starting job in a rhythm passing game with continued refinement but is more of a caretaker than a game changer and will require some patience adapting to the NFL game,” said football scout Nolan Nawrocki.

Even if Garoppolo doesn’t come out guns blazing, New England should be just fine. If he follows the game plan created by legendary coach Bill Belichick and doesn’t turn the ball over, Garoppolo should find success with the help of the team’s veterans on offence.

Back in 2008, Brady was lost for the season in Week 1 when he tore his ACL against the Kansas City Chiefs. In came unheralded 28-year-old backup Matt Cassel to fill the void. He won his first game as a starter the following week and under the guidance of Belichick would lead the Pats to an 11-5 record, throwing for over 3600 yards with a QB rating of 89.4.

Cassel’s play got him a pretty sweet contract with the Chiefs in the off-season and he’s had an up-and-down career ever since. But, if not for his early success with the Patriots, who knows how his career would of turned out.

That’s why these four games are so important for Garoppolo. It will be a showcase for his talents and might help determine his future in the league, whether it be in New England or somewhere else.

Expect Brady, who signed a two-year extension this off-season, to be back Oct. 9 against Robert Griffin III and the Cleveland Browns, rested (maybe a little angry) and well prepared to lead his team to an eighth consecutive AFC East championship.  

Embedded ImageNew England averaged 29.1 points and 374.4 yards per game last season, good enough for fifth and sixth respectively. And the offence got even better in the off-season with the addition of Martellus Bennett from the Chicago Bears to help complement fellow tight end Rob Gronkowski. The 29-year-old recorded 439 yards receiving with three touchdowns in 2015. Wide receivers Nate Washington and Chris Hogan were also added in free agency to backup Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman. Brady will have plenty of options to throw to in 2016 and they should be a top tier offence.

The Pats had a solid defence in 2015 as they kept opponents below 20 points per game (19.7) and allowed an average of 339.4 yards per game, ninth best in the league.  

They will have to fill the void left by pass rusher Chandler Jones who was shipped off to the Cards this winter. The 26-year-old Pro Bowler racked up six sacks last year, his fourth in the league. Defensive end Chris Long, the 2008 second overall pick, will be counted on to put pressure on opposing pivots. The 31-year-old spent the first eight years of his career with the St. Louis Rams before the Pats signed him in March.

The Patriots only have five games against playoff teams from last year and they have the ninth highest (.523) strength of schedule.

The Pats might go 2-2, maybe even 1-3 under Garoppolo, but that won’t matter. Brady showed no signs of slowing down last season and will come back with a chip on his shoulder after losing the “Deflategate” battle. The 39-year-old should lead his team to another divisional title and with the Super Bowl champions Denver Broncos taking a step back; New England has to be the favourites to take the AFC.  A fifth Super Bowl ring is definitely in the cards for the Brady/Belichick tandem in 2016.