Arizona quarterback Kevin Kolb led the Cardinals to a surprising come-from-behind win over the Seahawks in Week 1. (AP Images)

Cardinals at Patriots -- Week 2

Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass. (turf, outdoors)

When: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox)

Spread: Patriots by 13.5

Forecast: Sunny, 67 degrees

Records: Cardinals (Overall: 1-0, NFC West: 1-0); Patriots (Overall: 1-0, AFC East: 0-0)

Past results: Two most recent meetings -- Dec. 21, 2008: Patriots 47, Cardinals 7; Sept. 19, 2004: Patriots 23, Cardinals 12. Series record: The series is tied, 6-6.

What matters: Neither rain nor snow nor extra timeouts can derail the Cardinals, it seems. They are flying high after their season-opening comeback win over rookie quarterback Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks. But Wilson is no Tom Brady, and the vaunted Patriots passing game might not need an extra timeout against Arizona. The Cardinals will counter the New England air attack with a feisty pass rush against a Patriots offensive line that is banged up and susceptible to pressure. Problem is, so is Arizona's, though it held up surprisingly well against the Seahawks. If the big uglies can hold up their end of the bargain again, this might be closer than expected.

Who matters: Quarterback Kevin Kolb jumped off the bench to replace the fallen John Skelton and immediately turned into the Kolb that prompted the Cardinals to trade for him in the first place. Kolb went 6 of 8 on his game-winning drive for 66 yards and a score, and in the process, seemed to win back many of those he'd lost with a lackadaisical preseason. Daryl Washington continues to develop into one of the best young defenders in the league, as the 25-year-old linebacker had 10 tackles and a sack against Seattle. He'll need to rise to the occasion against New England's fantastic tight ends.

Key matchups: Facing the where-is-the-ball-going-next Patriots passing game is a chore for any team. The key will be the coverage of those tight ends, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, and the pressure up front. Veteran linebacker Paris Lenon had a pair of sacks last week, and the always dangerous defensive line is the strength of the Cardinals. Stifling Brady will help Arizona handle a New England running game that looked particularly impressive with the emergence of Stevan Ridley.

Injuries of note: This is not the weekend for the defensive backfield to be banged up. Cornerback Jamell Fleming is nursing a shoulder injury but should play, despite being limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. Cornerback Patrick Peterson and safeties Adrian Wilson and Rashad Johnson were also limited in practice on Thursday.

Inside stuff: It took Kolb one overthrown ball to settle into the Cardinals' offense during the game-winning drive. Maybe it was because they huddled first. Kolb then settled in and thrived in the no-huddle, and Arizona could go with more of it on Sunday. Coach Ken Whisenhunt said it was simply a part of the game plan, but the success of Kolb, including his hitting five straight passes on the drive while in the rhythm of the offense, could prompt Whisenhunt to make it a focal point.

Connections: Cardinals S James Sanders was a fourth-round draft pick of the Patriots in 2005 and played 110 games for New England from 2005-10. Cardinals guard Rich Ohrnberger played for the Patriots from 2009-2010 and appeared in five games.

Stat you should know: The Cardinals running game accounted for just 43 yards on 20 carries in Week 1. Problem is, the New England defense was even better, holding Chris Johnson and the Tennessee Titans to just 20 yards on 16 carries. 

Record watch: Patriots receiver Wes Welker (557) needs one reception to pass Troy Brown as the franchise's all-time reception leader while Larry Fitzgerald continues to march toward being the youngest player ever to 700 career receptions. He has 697 going into the game.

Looking ahead: A week after traveling to play Tom Brady, the Cardinals host an entirely different kind of quarterback, Michael Vick, whose Philadelphia Eagles travel to the desert.

Prediction: Patriots 30, Cardinals 20

For more news and analysis from Cardinals blogger Jon Gold, follow @CBSCardinals on Twitter.