
Johnson's remarkable run featured about every tool in the running back kit. The first two Arizona touchdowns followed New England turnovers. LaGarrette Blount bulled it in from there and the Patriots led 17-7 with 10 minutes left in the first quarter.

Rookie cornerback Brandon Williams was beaten badly for the second time on Garoppolo's 28-yard pass to the Arizona 8. Up 10-7 at the break, the Patriots took the second-half kickoff and went 70 yards in nine plays. New England, a five-point underdog, took the lead on its first possession and scored again to start the second half. The snap was low and Catanzaro booted the ball to the left of the uprights. We played a good complimentary game."Ī holding penalty hampered the final Arizona drive but a pass to Jaron Brown put the Cardinals within field-goal range. "I thought we got great effort from all three phases. "I am really proud of our team tonight," Belichick said. "That is a good thing we have going for us."Ī remarkable 45-yard run by David Johnson set up a 2-yard, sliding, over-the-shoulder touchdown catch by Fitzgerald that gave the Cardinals their only lead of the night, 21-20, with 9:46 remaining.Įx-Patriot Chandler Jones sacked Garoppolo on the first play of New England's next possession, but the young quarterback still set up the winning kick by Gostkowski, who also booted a 53-yarder.

"Whoever is out there we have confidence in one another," he said. Not only were the Patriots without Brady, suspended for his role in "deflategate," but they also didn't have tight end Rob Gronkowski, defensive end Rob Ninkovich and two starters on the offensive line.Īgain, Garoppolo talked about that Patriot confidence. "We came out too slow," Palmer said, "and obviously there when you have to win it with a late field goal, you're obviously behind the 8-ball." It is not perfect but he made a lot of good plays," Bilichick said.Īrizona's Carson Palmer threw for 271 yards and two touchdowns, both to Larry Fitzgerald. "When you have confidence in your teammates and they have confidence in you, it's easy to stay poised," he said.Ĭoach Bill Bilichick wasn't ready to crown Garoppolo the next Brady, though. Garoppolo completed 24 of 33 passes for 264 yards with no interceptions. The miss came after Garoppolo, in his first NFL start, directed the Patriots from their own 19 to the Arizona 15 to set up Stephen Gostkowski's 23-yard field goal for what proved to be the winner with 3:44 to play.

Drew got it down and he (Catanzaro) pulled it." "I'll make the next one."Īrians said: "It was a low snap. "Just an old-fashioned miss," Catanzaro said. The snap from rookie long snapper Kameron Canady was low and holder Drew Butler didn't get the ball in terrific position. "As poorly as we played, we should have still won." "We should have won the game," Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said. Lead the New England Patriots to a late score and victory.Īrizona's Chandler Catanzaro missed a 47-yard field goal with 41 seconds to play and the severely depleted Patriots escaped with a 23-21 victory Sunday night in the season opener. Jimmy Garoppolo did just what Tom Brady always seems to do.
