Preseason should be a good barometer for new look Pats

By David Wedge  |   Monday, April 10, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

New England Patriots
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The NFL announcement of the 2006 preseason schedule has handed the New England Patriots four challenging fixtures in the build up to a new campaign. These four teams are sure to test the much-debated prospects of Bill Belichick's new-look side.

The Patriots will kick off its preseason by travelling to the Georgia Dome to face the Atlanta Falcons. Last season, New England's defense suffered heavily from injuries and can expect a thorough examination from a potent Atlanta offense. Despite the fact that both teams' starters will only play for a few series, the versatility of quarterback Michael Vick is sure to keep the Patriots defense on its toes, with his ability to deploy both a highly-dangerous passing game and an explosive running game. In addition, New England will have to deal with the threat posed by running back Warrick Dunn, who set a career-high for rushing yards in 2005. The two sides met in Week Five of the 2005 season, with England running out 31-28 winners.

Week Two will see New England host the Arizona Cardinals. The Patriots defense can expect another tough battle from an ever-improving Cardinals offense. Arizona endured a below-standard season in 2005, but possesses a great threat on offense through quarterback Kurt Warner as well as wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. The Cardinals will also have potency on the run, through new-signing Edgerrin James, who made the offseason move to Arizona from Indianapolis.

New England has another home fixture in Week Three, versus the Washington Redskins. The Redskins had an excellent 2005 season, reaching the divisional playoffs before losing to the Seattle Seahawks and has outlined its ambition to progress further in 2006, with offseason signings to further strengthen the squad. The most notable acquisitions for Washington are wide receivers Brandon Lloyd and Atwaan Randle El, who were signed from the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers respectively. This will be the best barometer of the Patriots' revamped unit as both teams will likely play their starters into the second half.

To complete the preseason, the Patriots will travel to Giants Stadium in Week Four to play the New York Giants. The Giants had a disappointing 2005 season and will be keen to improve in 2006. In Eli Manning, the Giants have a young quarterback with the pedigree to be a great, however, Manning hasn't yet managed to find the formula for turning promise into consistently strong performances. In stark contrast, star running back Tiki Barber personifies consistency and continues to deliver match-winning performances at the very highest level. However, the reality is that this game will feature backups fighting for a roster spot for the most part. The starters for both teams will likely play sparingly if at all.

For the New England Patriots, the 2006 preseason schedule will provide four closely matched contests, but will more importantly serve as a key indicator for the future prospects of Bill Belichick's side, which has suffered from the departures of many influential and long-serving players, following the loss to the Denver Broncos in last season's divisional playoffs.
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