Arizona Cardinals’ four primetime games in 2016 include Week 1 clash with Patriots

The Arizona Cardinals will be featured in primetime four times this season.

Those games include an anticipated reunion for their big offseason acquisition and the next chapter in a division rivalry.

Arizona’s season starts with a potential Super Bowl preview against the New England Patriots at home. Pro Bowl linebacker Chandler Jones has already said he’s circling the game with a red marker and he won’t have to wait long.

Jones, who was acquired by the Cardinals from the Patriots for a second-round pick and guard Jonathan Cooper, had 36 sacks in his four seasons with the Patriots.

The Cardinals last meeting with New England was a memorable one in Week 2 of 2012 in Foxborough, when Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski missed a late field goal and Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb celebrated moving to 2-0 on the year.

Later in the season it’s three straight weeks of games in the spotlight for Bruce Arians’ squad. A Week 5 road matchup against the San Francisco 49ers is Arizona’s lone Thursday night game of the season.

Another reunion will take place in Week 6. This time, it’s former Cardinals defensive coordinator and current New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles bringing his team to Arizona on Monday Night Football.

The Cardinals schedule, of course, wouldn’t be complete without extending their rivalry with the Seahawks. This will be the fourth straight year one of their meetings will be featured in primetime.

The Sunday Night Football clash in Glendale will look to follow 2015’s thrilling Week 10 39-32 Cardinals victory in Seattle.

The Cardinals went 5-0 in primetime last season.

You can see the full Cardinals schedule here.

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