The New England Patriots (3-10) head to Phoenix this Sunday to face the Arizona Cardinals (6-7). While the Patriots playoff hopes may be out of reach, they still have the chance to play spoiler to a Cardinals team that still have playoff aspirations.
The Patriots are coming off of their bye week after entering it with a heartbreaking 25-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 13. When asked about how he and the team should approach these last four games, rookie quarterback Drake Maye said, “I think it’s a great opportunity to continue that next step of leadership.”
The Cardinals will be going into Sundays matchup against New England on a three-game losing streak. In last week’s post game interview quarterback Kyler Murray took responsibility for the losses. He told reporters after last week’s loss that he felt like he let the team down.
New England Patriots vs. Arizona Cardinals: Key Matchups
Trey McBride versus Kyle Dugger
Patriots safety Kyle Dugger will have his work cut out for him this week. He’ll be matched up against one of the league’s best tight ends in Trey McBride. McBride has been a bright spot for the Cardinals all year, recording 80 catches for 851 yards this season. He’s managed to stay productive even on their three-game losing streak recording 31 catches for 299 yards.
Marvin Harrison Jr. against Christian Gonzalez
Patriots second-year corner Christian Gonzalez has had an amazing sophomore season. You can expect him to matched up with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison has been a reliable target for Murray all season as he has racked up 655 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
Hunter Henry versus Budda Baker
Without the Patriots having a true “X” receiver, Maye has relied heavily on tight ends this season. One of the better players on the roster has been veteran Hunter Henry.
Henry has been fairly reliable averaging 4.5 catches and 46.9 yards a game. In this matchup, it’s likely that veteran safety Budda Baker is assigned to Henry. Baker has been dominant all season both in the run and pass game. He’s recorded 132 tackles this season along with two sacks.
Players to Watch
Outside of the matchups mentioned above, there are a couple of players worth keeping an eye on in this matchup outside of the two quarterbacks.
For the Patriots, that player is Austin Hooper. Hooper has started to become more involved in the offense as the season has continued. He’s also caught two touchdowns in the last two games.
For the Cardinals, a key player in this game is veteran running back James Conner. Conner has recorded 863 yards this season and has found his way into the end zone five times. He’s a hard runner, who refuses to go down after initial contact. Conner will be going up against the 19th ranked run defense so you can expect a big night from him.
Keys to Victory for New England
Although the Patriots playoff hopes may be out of reach, here is how they can play spoiler to the Cardinals.
Slow Down the Run
The Patriots have had trouble slowing down the run all season. With a dynamic quarterback like Kyler Murray, it can make stopping the run a nightmare. If New England wants to leave Arizona with a win, they will have to contain Murray and not allow him to extend plays and scramble for first downs.
Win the Turnover Battle
As New England’s offense is starting to find its identity with Drake Maye, it is important that they keep control of the ball. They have proven that they aren’t yet capable to come back once putting themselves down more then one possession.
Manage the Clock
The New England Patriots had their best offensive performance against the Indianapolis Colts, in a game where they took control of the clock and executed long drives that ended in some type of points. The Patriots will have to keep control of the clock throughout the entire game to leave with the win.
