The first game of the NFL season often is the most unpredictable.
Almost every team makes significant roster changes in the offseason, and Week 1 is a chance to see how those changes pan out.
As such, opponents must be prepared for everything, and no one knows that more than Chandler Jones. The New England Patriots defensive end will square off Sunday against a Miami Dolphins offense that scored fewer than 20 points per game and surrendered the most sacks in the league in 2013.
However, 2014 is a new season.
“This is a good team. They have a new team, they have new schemes,” Jones said Tuesday during a radio appearance on WEEI. “Our job is come up there and be prepared and execute whatever the coaches preach to us the whole week during practice day in and day out.”
Jones, who posted a career-high 11 1/2 sacks last season, likely will square off against offensive tackle Branden Albert. The veteran signed with the Dolphins this offseason after six seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Branden Albert is a great player,” Jones said. “… The thing that really impresses me is his footwork for his size, for his height, he’s a big guy, he’s even taller than me. And I’m tall myself. But his footwork is very, very good. He’s very trained to not bite on certain moves and certain things of that nature.
“It will be a very good test, and I’m excited to go against him.”
