As the New England Patriots get ready to open their, and the entire NFL's,  season Thursday night at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers, here are some things to look for throughout the campaign.

Brady Out To Prove He's G.O.A.T- Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will be suited up and ready to go for the game, after his four-game suspension for Deflategate was nullified just about a week ago. After so much mudslinging and accusations brought against the future hall-of-famer this off season, look for him to come out firing on all cylinders tomorrow night. Playing with a chip on his shoulder is part of what has turned Brady into such a successful player, throughout his career. Adding one of the biggest chips ever placed on the guy into the mix should make the rest of the NFL quiver in fear. Look for him to put up big numbers throughout the season. I'm thinking 40+ scores is not out of the question for Brady.

Gronk & Chandler Create Scary Tandem- The addition of Scott Chandler, this off season, has given New England its first strong complement to tight end Rob Gronkowski since the days of Aaron Hernandez. Chandler provides another big target for Brady with his 6-7 260 pound frame, and could see a lot of time opposite Gronk as the Pats have  a limited amount of options on their receiving corps to begin the year. While he hasn't had more than six touchdowns in a single season, throughout his career, Chandler also hasn't had the luxury of working with talent like Brady at the quarterback position. Putting him on the field with Brady could pay major dividends, especially knowing that most opponents will be preoccupied with slowing Gronkowski down. As for the top tight end in the league, look for him to continue dominating opposing defenses no matter what or who they throw at him. The potential for these two to succeed is so high and it should be fun to watch them play throughout the season. I'll set the over/under for combined touchdowns from the tandem at 18 and I'll take the over.

Don't Worry About Secondary- Even though the Pats saw the likes of Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Kyle Arrington walk off into the sunset this off season, fans shouldn't think there's no hope for this year's defensive backfield. The emergence of Super Bowl hero and former undrafted free agent Malcolm Butler has given the Pats a boost and veterans Tarell Brown and Bradley Fletcher have experience that could pay off down the stretch. Also Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung, who were both key members of last year's secondary are back in their respective starting roles. Their leadership could help lead this year's secondary to a similarly successful season.

Offensive Line Question Marks- Heading into the season, the Pats offensive line has a couple of question marks. While the line will be anchored on both ends by veterans Sebastian Vollmer and Nate Solder, the interior is full of uncertainties. With starting center Bryan Stork being placed on the injured reserve/designated for return list, Wednesday, he will be unavailable for the team until the second half of the season. It will be interesting to see how the coaching staff plans to fill the void created by Stork's absence. Will they slide captain Ryan Wendell into the starting center role or will undrafted rookie David Andrews, who saw a wealth of time at center during the preseason, man the position? Also, will New England go with two rookies at the starting guard spots or will Josh Kline get the call? The unit that takes the field on the team's first drive against Pittsburgh could be different then the one that is playing in more crucial moments down the stretch, as certain players step up or fall down the depth chart. Just as it was last year, though, it looks like the line will be an interesting place to keep your eyes on this season.

 Passing Backs Take Over- New England has a depth chart at running back that lends itself to a pass first mentality. While pound and ground has never been a major facet of the Patriots offense, this year might produce even less running action then usual. LaGarrette Blount is the lone true "big back" on the roster and he's missing week one to a suspension. New England's other backfield options, James White, Dion Lewis, Travaris Cadet and Brandon Bolden all fit a more pass first style of play which could lead the team to further stray from a serious running attack. Look for the backfield unit to potentially gain more yards and score more touchdowns through the air then on the ground.

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