The New England Patriots will host the Dallas Cowboys in just a couple of hours at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots are coming off a win over the New York Jets. That win made two in a row and handed the Jets their third straight lost. The Patriots are now tied in first place with the Buffalo Bills in the division standings.
Today’s game against the Cowboys will be a huge test for the Patriots. The Cowboys are ranked 10th in defense and are number one in stopping the run. They also are ranked 7th in pass defense and are a team that will test any offense. The leader of the Cowboys defense is DeMarcus Ware who has 10 tackles and five sacks through four games. He is playing at a high level and he continues to be a great defensive player.
For the Cowboys offense they are ranked 22nd and have one of the worst ranked rushing attack at 30th overall. But passing has come at a price for the Cowboys. Tony Romo has thrown seven interceptions this season and fumbled the ball three times. He has completed 99 passes and has a 65% completion rate. His lead receiver is Jason Whitten who currently has 27 receptions with 366 yards and a touchdown. He is averaging 13.6 yards per catch with 17 first downs. The Patriots defense has to keep the Romo Whitten connection at a minimum in order to win the game.
The Patriots defense has been possibly the worst in the last few years. They are ranked 17th and have the worst pass defense in the league. They also allow the second most scores by a offense in the league. They have to get their identity on defense and prove to the league that they can stop the pass. The defensive leader for the Patriots for the season has been Devin McCourty who has 34 tackles and three for a lost. He has played well enough to this point in this season. The problem for the Patriots has been limiting the deep passes and the terrible reads. Once the defense figures out the little things they will be tough to go up against.
The offense is second best in the league and has the best passing attack in the league. Surprisingly the Patriots have the sixth best rushing attack in the league. The reason behind that is because of BenJarvus Green-Ellis. He has taken over at that position and has it locked down. He has rushed for over 333 yards in 77 attempts. He has five touchdowns with 18 first downs. He is a key reason to the Patriots more balanced attack. Tom Brady has been light’s out this season with 1,874 yards in 133 completions. His 14 touchdowns and 109.5 quarterback rating has him on the MVP watch board. He has six interceptions this season, but remains a consistent force at his position. The receiving leader has been Wes Welker who has a NFL high 740 yards with 45 receptions. His 16.4 average per catch is best in the league as well. Brady has thrown to Welker the most and has given Welker 33 first downs this season. His numbers have been jaw dropping this season and the Patriots need to start talking contract extension with him.
Today’s game will be a great one and will be filled with many story lines. The Cowboys are well rested after their bye week. The Patriots are trying to go into their bye week with another win. Be sure to watch today’s game on FOX at 4:15 p.m. and enjoy.
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