It should be a pretty exciting game Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium when the Cowboys come to town for a nationally televised 4:25 p.m. matchup.
Dallas enters at 6-4, but statistically is one of the better teams in the league. It is the No. 1 ranked offense in yards, fourth in points, and then seventh on defense both in yards and points allowed. The Patriots are 9-1 and coming off their biggest win of the year in Philadelphia last Sunday.
The biggest matchup will be the Patriots defense — ranked No. 1 in DVOA — against the Dallas offense — also ranked No. 1 in DVOA.
Cowboys vs. PatriotsSunday, Nov. 24, 20194:25 p.m., FOXPatriots -6, over/under 45
3 keys to the game
Jason Garrett
The Cowboys coach is the biggest wild card in this game. Talent-wise, Dallas certainly has the ability to compete with the Patriots, but will Garrett do something to mess that up? It could be the overall gameplan, but also how he coaches the game come Sunday. There’s no question the Patriots have the big edge in coaching, but it’s how big the gap Garrett makes it that could be a factor in who wins and who loses.
Stop Ezekiel Elliott
Elliott is one of the best backs in the NFL and stopping the run has been an issue for the Patriots defense this season. Through 10 games it is allowing 4.6 yards per attempt, which is 24th in the league. The Patriots usually do a good job of taking away what its opponent does best, and it would seen stopping the run will be just that this week. That of course puts the ball in the hands of Dak Prescott, who is having a tremendous year, but could work out favorably for New England considering how good its secondary is.
Find ways to move the ball on offense
While the Patriots are 9-1 and third in points scored, they are 16th on offense overall. Tom Brady and the passing game hasn’t really clicked and the running game has been a major disappointment. If Dallas sits back in zone, like Rod Marinelli’s defenses generally do, this could be a breakout game for Brady as he usually picks these defenses apart. There are some question marks when it comes to who will be active at wide receiver, but that could mean it’s a game for rookies N’Keal Harry and Jakobi Meyers to earn the trust of Brady.
Fun facts
1. According to Next Gen Stats, Brady’s completion percentage against the blitz has gone from 65.5 percent last year to 52.4 percent this year, and then his passer rating has gone from 108.9 to 76.6.
2. The Patriots have the best inter-conference record in the NFL since 2002 at 57-14. The next closest team is the Steelers who are 47-23-1.
3. If the Patriots win, it will be their 18th straight regular-season win at Gillette Stadium, which will tie the second-longest home win streak in franchise history.
4. The Patriots are 98-1 all-time at Gillette Stadium when leading at halftime of a regular-season game. The one loss was in 2017 against the Chiefs.
5. The Patriots have recorded at least one sack in all 10 games this season. It’s the second time the feat has been accomplished in Bill Belichick’s tenure.
Prediction
Patriots 17, Dallas 13
Weather could play a factor in keeping the scoring down with rainy, cool conditions expected, but in the end we like the Patriots in a close game. In the end the coaching advantage is too big and Garrett will find a way to mess something up along the way. The New England defense should continue to do its thing and even with all the players expected to miss the game, the Patriots could potentially find something on offense with the return of Isaiah Wynn.
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