One down. Fifteen to go.
The New England Patriots began their 2016 season with a win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday despite not having several starters, including quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski. It was an upset victory for the Patriots, who entered the game as heavy underdogs, but Boomer Esiason thinks it could be the start of something special for New England.
“I didn’t think they’d win the game (Sunday night in Arizona),” Esiason said Monday on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Toucher and Rich.” “I thought that they would probably win the next three games at home with Jimmy Garoppolo, and then Tom Brady would go 12-0. So now it looks like it could be another 16-0 season.”
Bold take.
Esiason isn’t alone in thinking the Patriots will have a good season, especially once Brady returns from his four-game Deflategate suspension. But going out on a limb and saying a team will go undefeated requires a lot of confidence in said team. Esiason clearly thinks very highly of the Pats.
“I think that Tom Brady comes back they’re going to go 12-0,” said Esiason, a former quarterback now working for CBS Sports. “If you know Tom Brady … the fact of the matter is that this guy is the greatest quarterback of all time and he is going to be just champing at the bit to get back on the field and prove to (NFL commissioner) Roger Goodell and everybody else that he is still the best, even at the age of 39. …
“I would not doubt for one minute that when he comes back, he’ll be in tip-top shape, he’ll be ready to go and they’ll go on yet another run.”
In addition to lauding Brady, Esiason had high praise for Bill Belichick and the Patriots’ coaching staff, saying that Sunday night’s win showed why it’s currently the best staff in the NFL.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
