Sunday, October 2, 2016

N.F.L. Week 4: New England Patriots Name Jacoby Brissett Starter

N.F.L. Sunday got an early start with the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars facing off in London in the first of three games being played across the Atlantic this season, but the football world probably spent most of the game refreshing Rotoworld to see who would be starting at quarterback for the New England Patriots.
The Patriots ended the suspense, announcing on Twitter that Jimmy Garoppolo would be inactive for the game, making Jacoby Brissett the de facto starter despite an injured thumb. The Patriots had hoped Garoppolo’s shoulder would improve enough to make him available against a Buffalo defense that looked great against Arizona last week.
With Garoppolo inactive, Julian Edelman, a wide receiver, is New England’s backup quarterback.
In the last week of Tom Brady’s four-game suspension, it’s a safe bet that Brissett, a rookie who helped the Patriots beat the Houston Texans last week, will mostly be handing the ball off to LeGarrette Blount and watching as the big running back crashes headfirst into the Buffalo front-seven.
Here’s what else to expect in N.F.L. Week 4:
■ The Panthers will try to allay fears that they are falling apart in the wake of their Super Bowl loss last year. Should the team drop to 1-3, the world may not see Cam Newton’s smile for quite some time.
■ The Jaguars will not be the only team looking to avoid starting 0-4, as the Browns, Bears and Saints are also winless through three games, and none of the winless teams has much reason for optimism. Meanwhile, the Patriots, Ravens and Broncos will be trying to improve to 4-0 (the Vikings’ pursuit of 4-0 will have to wait until Monday night).
■ The drama over the social activism of players continues, as both Colin Kaepernick of the 49ers and Doug Baldwin of the Seahawks have said they have received death threats this season in response to their advocacy for treatment of minorities by police officers.
■ The game in London won’t feature Julius Thomas, the big Jacksonville tight end, who was declared out for the game with an injured elbow. The inactives for the week also include Jonathan Stewart of the Panthers (hamstring), Sammy Watkins of the Bills (foot), Eric Decker of the Jets (shoulder), and J.J. Watt of the Texans (back) who may be lost for the season. One player to watch for on the injury list is Marvin Jones, the Lions’ wide receiver, who set a franchise record for receiving yards through three games but is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury.

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