Garoppolo Finds the End Zone, Blount Scores with Six Guys on His Back, and Other Plays from Patriots-Cardinals You Should See

GLENDALE, MA — No Brady, no Gronkowski, no Solder, no problems.

With expectations for the team low and the Arizona Cardinals entering the game as the favorite, Jimmy Garoppolo had as good of a game as one could expect while leading the Patriots to a 23-21 win in Glendale.

The third-year quarterback who started for the first time in the NFL Sunday night only needed a few minutes to throw the game's opening touchdown, finding a wide open Chris Hogan about midway through the first quarter.

It wasn't a perfect night for Garoppolo, who lost a fumble thanks to his old teammate Chandler Jones.

On defense, Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald gave the Patriots trouble, scoring the first of his two touchdowns late in the second quarter.

The Patriots started the second half on the back of LeGarrett Blount, who plowed into the end zone with not one or two, but six defenders trying to tackle him.

A pair of touchdowns from David Johnson and Fitzgerald put the Cardinals up 21-20, but Stephen Gostkowski's field goal put New England up by two.

Given the stadium, it only seemed natural that the game would come down to a final drive and clock management. After the Patriots called a timeout with 41 seconds to play, Cardinals kicker Chandler Catanzaro shanked what would have been the game winning field goal, in part due to a bad snap.

The Patriots start the season at 1-0 and in sole possession of first place in the AFC East. The Patriots start a three-game home stand next Sunday when they host the Miami Dolphins.