One of the most pleasant surprises of the NFL's opening weekend was the tremendous play of Jimmy Garoppolo. With Tom Brady suspended, the Patriots‘ perennial backup finally got an opportunity to start, and he did not disappoint.

Of course, New England head coach Bill Belichick put Garoppolo in favorable situations with his play-calling. He's the master at putting all of his players in roles that they can succeed in.

But Jimmy G still rose to the occasion in a big way. He showed poise in the pocket, effortlessly moving away from pressure with precise footwork. This throw particularly stands out above the rest:

When his first two reads weren't open, Garoppolo improvised before throwing a strike to Danny Amendola. Many starters in the NFL don't make that play.

So, the question beckons: after one game, did Garoppolo do enough to prove that he can succeed as a starting quarterback in the NFL?

The Eastern Illinois product completed 24 of 33 passes, compiling 264 passing yards and a touchdown. He didn't throw a pick, either. For all of the teams who won in spite of their quarterbacks during Week 1, the Patriots arguably won on Sunday night because of theirs.

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There's a big difference between claiming that Garoppolo can start in the NFL, and claiming that he should start over Brady. That would be crazy. But Jimmy G certainly looked the part, and other teams could come calling soon.

Kevin Duffy of Masslive.com and Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal discussed in detail whether or not Garoppollo has what it takes to start in the NFL, as well as his rising stock on the trade market. Give it a listen: