National Football League

Jimmy Garoppolo proves he's ready to shine for Patriots

Published Aug. 23, 2015 1:25 p.m. ET

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By Evan Massey

Tom Brady led his New England Patriots to yet another championship last season, and excitement was buzzing in Boston. Unfortunately, news broke fairly soon after the season that he would be suspended for the first four games of the 2015 season due to his role in the “Deflategate” situation. He tried to appeal, but it doesn’t appear that the NFL is going to budge on the suspension.

New England may have to start second-year quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in those first four games, and there has been quite a bit of concern surrounding him. During the Patriots’ second preseason game, Garoppolo showed that he is more than ready to shine and helped put Patriots fans and the franchise at ease.

During the Patriots’ 26-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Saturday night, Garoppolo completed 28 of his 33 passing attempts to go along with 269 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

While those numbers are in the preseason, they are still a very important step for the young quarterback. New England gave him extra playing time as getting him comfortable is the primary goal heading into the season. Taking this game and using it as momentum to continue getting better is an absolute must for the 23-year-old quarterback.

At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Garoppolo is the ideal size for an NFL quarterback. He is a very durable player and possesses solid athleticism.

Replacing a player like Brady puts a lot of pressure on a young player's shoulders. Garoppolo understands just how much his play will mean for the Patriots’ season. He could be the deciding factor in whether or not New England ends up winning the AFC East division at the end of the regular season.

More than likely, Brady will come back and lead the Patriots to a playoff appearance no matter what Garoppolo does during his four games. That being said, if Garoppolo has a big four games and leads his team to a few wins, there is nothing holding New England back from competing for one of the top spots in the AFC. He definitely has the potential to become something special, and this is his chance to prove that.

It is going to be intriguing to see what type of production Garoppolo has during his four games as the starter. This could very well be an audition to become the Patriots’ starting quarterback in the future after Brady decides to retire.

Expect to see him get things on track following this big performance, and to continually grow moving forward and prove why Bill Belichick and the Patriots are comfortable with him under center to start the season.

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