NEW ENGLAND (12-4) at ARIZONA (13-3)
Sunday, 8:30 p.m., EDT, NBC
OPENING LINE -- Cardinals by 5
SERIES RECORD -- Cardinals lead 7-6
LAST MEETING -- Cardinals beat Patriots 20-18, Sept. 16, 2012
AP PRO32 RANKING -- Cardinals No. 2, Patriots No. 5
PATRIOTS OFFENSE -- OVERALL (6), RUSH (30), PASS (5)
PATRIOT DEFENSE -- OVERALL (9), RUSH (9), PASS (17)
CARDINALS OFFENSE -- OVERALL (1), RUSH (8), PASS (2)
CARDINALS DEFENSE -- OVERALL (5), RUSH (6), PASS (8)
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES -- Bill Belichick has best record of all NFL coaches in last 60 games (46-14), Arizona's Bruce Arians is third (43-17). ... Patriots have had winning record 15 straight seasons, won seven consecutive NFC East titles and played in six straight AFC championship games. ... Stephen Gostkowski missed 42-yard FG with 1 second left in last meeting with Cardinals, 20-18 home loss in 2012. Loss was first in a home opener at Gillette Stadium. ... Gostkowski has led NFL in scoring last four seasons. ... Rob Gronkowski needs three TD catches to break franchise record for scoring receptions held by Stanley Morgan. All but two of Gronkowski's 66 TD catches came from Tom Brady. ... Gronkowski played for University of Arizona for two seasons, catching 16 TD passes in 22 games. ... QB Jimmy Garoppolo is 20 for 31 in NFC career passing with one TD. He threw four passes last season, completing one for 6 yards. ... In addition to not having suspended Brady ("Deflategate"), Patriots are without Rob Ninkovich, suspended four games for violating NFL substance abuse policy. .... Cardinals have won six consecutive home openers. ... Cardinals led NFL in offense (408.4 yards per game) last season and were second in scoring (30.6). Patriots were third in scoring (29.1). ... Arizona is 14-1 at home against nonconference foes under Arians. ... Carson Palmer broke Cardinals franchise records last season in yards passing, TD passes and QB rating. ... Former WR Roy Green will be inducted into Cardinals Ring of Honor at halftime Sunday. ... Cardinals return every player who gained yard or scored point on offense in 2015. ... Cardinals have sold out all 106 games at University of Phoenix Stadium since it opened in 2006. ... Arizona has won 10 straight games in month of September. ... Cardinals 5-0 in prime time games last season. ... Fantasy Tip: All but two of Gronkowski's 66 TD catches came from Brady, who, of course, is suspended.
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