Jimmy Garoppolo or Jacoby Brissett? That’s the question New England Patriots fans have been asking all week.
Michael Lombardi offered an interesting response Friday: Why not both?
Lombardi, who worked as an assistant to the Patriots’ coaching staff during the 2014 and 2015 seasons, said on WEEI’s “Kirk & Callahan” he expects both quarterbacks to take snaps this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.
Garoppolo is dealing with a shoulder injury, and Brissett is nursing an injured thumb.
“I think the key’s going to be, it’s going to be windy on Sunday, can Garoppolo throw the ball all the way around the field, and how much pain can he tolerate?” Lombardi said. “I don’t know if they’re really going to know that until Saturday — at least Saturday, or Sunday (after) another day of treatment.
“And if he can go, I would suspect he’ll go, but I have a feeling they’ll play both quarterbacks. … I don’t know if Jimmy’s going to be able to play for 60 minutes, and I don’t think they’ll want to risk that.”
Lombardi also said he believed initial reports on Brissett’s injury — that he had torn a ligament and likely would require surgery — were overblown.
“I think Jacoby Brissett’s fine,” Lombardi said. “I think whatever the rumors were about Brissett were wrong. I think Brissett’s fine, I think he can play. I think they probably tried to split reps (in practice).”
Garoppolo and Brissett each have played roughly six quarters this season, with Garoppolo starting the Patriots’ first two games and Brissett starting the third.
Thumbnail photo via Matt Kartozian/USA TODAY Sports Images
