By JEFF TIRRELL
In so many ways, it’s a football season different than anyone alive can remember. While the world continues to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, the sports world has slowly, cautiously, and in some cases, struggled to resume play.
The NBA and NHL continue their playoffs with an eye toward crowning champions this fall. Major League Baseball is a little more than halfway through an abbreviated regular season. Golf and tennis are holding tournaments, and now the nation’s most popular sport, professional football, is set to make a go of it.
The National Football League kicks off its season Thursday night, and then a full slate of games is set for the weekend, including the Patriots opening at home at Gillette Stadium against the Miami Dolphins.
For the first time since 2001, the Pats will have someone other than Tom Brady as starting quarterback, not including the Deflategate four-game suspension season. Cam Newton takes control of the offense, and where this New England offense lands this season is anyone’s guess. But the potential upside is intriguing, to say the least. Many Patriots have elected to opt out of the 2020 season due to the pandemic, further adding to the mystery of this year’s team and its place in the league’s hierarchy. This franchise has spent and amazing two decades right at the top. Is this the year they settle into mediocrity? Does the bottom fall out? Or will they be taking care of business and winning the AFC East as usual? The answers start to come Sunday.
The game against the Dolphins can be heard on Bear Country 95.3. The pregame show begins at 10:00, with kickoff set for 1:00, live from fan-less Gillette Stadium.