Week 12: Arizona Cardinals @ New England Patriots
(Yes, another picture we are contractually obligated to use as much as possible).
This game gives up one of the more fascinating schematic matchups of the entire season. On one side of the football you have Kliff Kingsbury and his Air Raid system, heavy on 10 offensive personnel (no team came close to how often the Cardinals used this four receiver package a year ago) and triggered by Kyler Murray, a mobile quarterback looking for a sophomore season leap.
One the other side of the football you have Bill Belichick, a defensive mastermind who still has a vast array of talent in the secondary at his disposal, a new rookie safety that can play sideline-to-sideline, and some young linebackers that he can use in a variety of different ways.
The chess match between Kingsbury and Belichick in this game is going to be fascinating. What adds another layer to it is Murray and what he can do as both a passer and an athlete. The Patriots under Belichick have been known to struggle against mobile quarterbacks, and Murray could be in a unique position to give the Patriots’ defense fits in this game. Maybe that is where Kyle Dugger, that rookie safety, comes into the picture. However Belichick looks to defend the Cardinals, this game will be one to anticipate in the weeks prior, and one to study and savor after it is over.