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Jimmy Garoppolo has spent the bulk of the past two-plus years learning in the classroom and on the practice field. And waiting for an opportunity like he has Sunday night.The third-year quarterback will make his first career NFL start when the New England Patriots take on the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday night -- under the lights in prime time for an 8:30 p.m. ET kickoff at University of Phoenix Stadium.Garoppolo, 24, has thrown 31 regular-season passes since being selected in the second round out of Eastern Illinois in 2014, and none of them has come against a hungry, aggressive defense in a Week 1 showdown of two teams expected to be in the thick of the playoff hunt. But thats the situation Garoppolo is thrust into as he takes the reins for the first four games of the season for the suspended Tom Brady.Theres so much going on right now, Garoppolo said. Mentally, Im straight on Arizona, but it is a phenomenal opportunity. This is why you play the game. You play to be in the game and play; you dont want to be the backup. The opportunity is here. Ive just got to go take advantage of it.Hell be facing an Arizona defense that finished fifth in total yards allowed, sixth in rushing yards allowed and eighth in passing yards allowed season. Cardinals general manager Steve Keim then went out and traded for Patriots linebacker Chandler Jones to pair opposite promising pass rusher Markus Golden. Two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Calais Campbell admitted hes licking my chops in anticipation of facing a rookie quarterback.So, too, is Tyrann Mathieu, the versatile defensive back who returns from his second ACL surgery in three years. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said he expects Mathieu to play every single play against the Patriots.The goal will be to rattle the inexperienced Garoppolo, who will be playing behind a reworked offensive line. But right guard Jonathan Cooper (foot), who was acquired for Jones, and left tackle Nate Solder (hamstring) were ruled out for the season opener.Arians recalled scouting Garoppolo coming out of college, and likened him to a young Tony Romo.Jimmys an excellent athlete, said Arians. A very accurate passer. Having been in the system, in that system especially, for the number of years hes been there, hes watched (offensive coordinator) Josh (McDaniels) come up with game plans and understands what theyre trying to do. But hes a very good athlete. You have to defend his legs as much as his arm.The Patriots need to lean on their impressive depth during Bradys absence, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. New England has playmakers at all three levels of the defense, but Arizona also returns all of its skill position threats from a unit that led the NFL with an average of 408.3 yards per game last season.Quarterback Carson Palmer is 36, but is also coming off a career year in which he threw for 4,671 yards and 35 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions during the regular season. Hes supported not only by a dynamic group of wide receivers led by Larry Fitzgerald, but with versatile David Johnson and healthy Chris Johnson team in in the backfield and an offensive line fortified by the addition of veteran guard Evan Mathis.Theyre very athletic, Arians said of New Englands defense. A solid secondary group. Interchangeable parts as far as inside and outside linebackers, which can get very confusing at times, and they do a very good job of it.Arians will try to stretch the New England secondary with a handful of vertical passes in an attempt to soften the underbelly of the defense. Patriots coach Bill Belichick always puts a premium on preventing big plays, and his defense created 10 turnovers during the preseason.You cant ignore your opponent, but you have to be responsive of what your team can do and what your players can do and what theyre comfortable doing, Belichick said. So, its a combination of both, and Id say thats the way it is every week.While Garoppolo can expect to see an aggressive pass rush featuring an array of blitz packages he has never been exposed to in live game action, the Cardinals defense is not without vulnerable spots. That begins with Brandon Williams, a converted college running back expected to start at cornerback opposite All-Pro Patrick Peterson. The 23-year-old Williams has yet to take a regular-season snap in the NFL, so Garoppolo has an experience edge on at least one other key figure on the field.He also has the benefit of a veteran group of skill position players in his own right, but the Patriots announced Friday night that tight end Rob Gronkowski has been ruled out because of a hamstring injury. Martellus Bennett will get more work.Wide receiver Julian Edelman is one of the best in the league at exploiting the seam, especially against aggressive pass rushes, and the Patriots will likely attempt to use battering ram LeGarrette Blount on early downs to keep Garoppolo out of dangerous down-and-distance situations -- although one can never fully predict how Belichick and McDaniels will attempt to attack a defense.You never want to be too high, too low, Garoppolo said of trying to keep his emotions in check come Sunday night. You always want to be right in the middle. Your teammates are always looking at you, so if you react in a bad way, theyre going to see that and theyll react to that. Just that calm, cool and collected mindset is the way Im approaching it. Wholesale Football Jerseys China . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. Knockoff Football Jerseys . The veteran safety was a starter for the Bengals from 2008-2012. He totaled 41 tackles and three interceptions while starting all but four of the 13 games he played last season. https://www.fakefootballjerseys.com/ . Jane Virtanen scored two, and Alex Roach and Elliott Peterson rounded out the offence for the Hitmen (40-15-6). Brady Brassart chipped in with three assists. Colton McCarthy scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Jack Rodewald also scored for the Warriors (15-35-9), who were 2 for 5 on the power play. Cheap Football Jerseys Authentic . Aside from the trilogy main event title fight, there are a number of intriguing matchups in the heavyweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions. Fake Football Jerseys . JOHNS, N. The Florida Panthers are struggling to find the magic that got them into the playoffs last year, but one thing that has them feeling good is the historic chase by Jaromir Jagr.The ageless forward enters Fridays game against the Colorado Avalanche within three points of Mark Messier for second on the NHL all-time scoring. Jagr had an assist in the Panthers 4-3 shootout loss at Winnipeg on Thursday and has 1,884 career points.At 44, he doesnt seem to be slowing down.Hes ageless, hes still going and doing very well, Avalanche forward Jarome Iginla told HockeyBuzz.com. Im definitely impressed. His reach and his shot, and hes definitely not easy to knock off the puck. You go to hit him and you feel it just as much as he would. Theres not that many guys at that age who would still have the fire and passion to still be doing it.Jagr would like to be doing it on a team on a roll, but the Panthers (13-13-5) struggled since associate general manager Tom Rowe took over behind the bench for the fired Gerard Gallant. Florida is 2-4-4 since Rowe became the interim coach.The hope was a coaching change would spark the Panthers but that hasnt happened. However, a win in Colorado last season came during a 12-game winning streak, and a win Friday could help start turning things around.We were in a pretty similar situation from last year to now, Nick Bjugstad told the Sun-Sentinel. If you can string together that at any point of the season it can change the whole course of the year.The Panthers are in prime position to get on another streak against a Colorado team that has seemingly lost the aability to win at home.ddddddddddddThe Avalanche are 0-5-1 in their last six games at Pepsi Center and 4-9-1 overall there. They showed some fight in their most recent setback, a 4-3 loss to the streaking Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday, and theyre hoping to build upon that effort.I thought we played real hard, real competitive, did a lot of good things, coach Jared Bednar said after the loss to the Flyers. Thats how we have to play -- like that.The Avalanche (11-16-1) are still without goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who also missed Wednesdaysgame with a groin injury. Varlamov has been inconsistent this season but had his best outing in a 3-1 victory at Toronto on Sunday. He made 51 saves and came within a 6-on-3 power-play advantage for the Maple Leafs of getting his second shutout of the season.Calvin Pickard will get the start again. He allowed four goals on 25 shots against Philadelphia, including two in a span of 1:46 of the third period that proved to be the difference.Pickards role as the starter is expected to be short-lived. Varlamov was on the ice for practice Thursday and Bednar said he thinks he will be ready soon.Hes three days off the ice now, and now hes skating so well have to give him some shots, Bednar told HockeyBuzz.com. Its not like we need three days leeway to get him back in only being out that length of time. Were taking it day and day and well ask the trainers when hes ready to go. When he feels good, then hell be back in. ' ' '