The New England Patriots improve to 10-1 after defeating the Dallas Cowboys 13-9 in a bad weather, sloppy game.
Offensively, the Patriots did just enough to squeak by with Mohamed Sanu and Phillip Dorsett missing from the lineup. Defensively, this unit showed up once again and slowed down the NFL’s most productive offense. The Patriots had an up-and-down performance from the special teams unit — but, Matthew Slater’s blocked punt changed the momentum of the game.
New England’s offensive line showed improvement with the addition of Isaiah Wynn and they’ll look better when the receiving corps regains their health. The Patriots aren’t the orthodox 10-1 team, but the defensive talent and coaching is keeping this team afloat.
Here are five takeaways from the game.
Young receivers make necessary plays for a victory
Without Sanu and Dorsett in the lineup, the Patriots had a dire need for their young receivers to step up and make plays.
The only active receivers heading into the game were Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry, Jakobi Meyers and Matthew Slater. Considering the fact that Slater doesn’t play offensive snaps, Tom Brady had very few offensive options to work with. Fortunately for New England, the young guys stepped up and made enough plays for a win.
Harry kicked off the day with a ten-yard back-shoulder touchdown catch — which was the only touchdown of the day. He recorded his first NFL touchdown and showed the ability to highpoint the ball and make impactful plays in the redzone. Meyers, an undrafted rookie, was able to pull in four catches for 72 yards. Brady’s trust was primarily in Meyers and Edelman, and both receivers accounted for 21 targets.
Stephon Gilmore dominated his matchup with Amari Cooper
Stephon Gilmore continues to prove why he’s the best cornerback in the NFL.
Gilmore covered the Cowboys’ best receiver, Amari Cooper, and he left him without a catch in the game. Cooper has been held without a catch once in his career while playing more than 20 snaps in a game before this game. This makes for Gilmore’s second-straight game that he hasn’t allowed a catch.
Gilmore continues to anchor the secondary that has intercepted 20 passes through 12 weeks.
This defense is proving to be the real deal
Many people believed that New England’s elite defensive performances came from a weak schedule to start the season.
The Patriots did play some less competitive teams in the first half, so they had to prove if they could sustain this excellence. After defeating the Philadelphia Eagles and Cowboys in defensively-dominant games, they’re showing why they are the best. The Cowboys came into this game with the No. 1 offense in the league and they left with a total of nine points.
Dallas finished the game 2-of-13 on third down attempts and they only scored with field goals. Ezekiel Elliot was the only player to make an impact on the game offensively, and Randall Cobb’s 86 receiving yards came mostly from a 59-yard reception.
Next up, the Patriots will have the challenge of Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes in back-to-back weeks.
Isaiah Wynn give Patriots offense much-needed boost
The Patriots needed some serious help on the offensive line this season and they got it with the return of Wynn.
Brady was noticeably more comfortable with Wynn covering his blindside and his first sack of the game came when Marshall Newhouse stepped in for Marcus Cannon. The addition of Wynn also helped out in the running game, which led to a 85-yard rushing performance from Sony Michel. The Patriots opened up with two rushing plays to the left side that resulted in 19 yards.
New England will finally be able to open up their rushing attack and have more diversity in its playbook. When the Patriots return Sanu and Dorsett, this offense should be revitalized and ready for a post-season push.
Jake Bailey, Nick Folk have rough day kicking the ball
Mostly due to weather, Nick Folk and Jake Bailey didn’t have their best games against the Cowboys.
Bailey has been named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week twice this season and has played an instrumental role in New England’s success. He had multiple touchbacks and couldn’t seem to pin the Cowboys within their 20-yard line for a majority of the game. He did come through in the clutch at the end when it really mattered.
Folk had to step up and play a vital role in a team with so much previous success. The pressure remains to be a factor for Folk — who finished 2-for-4 on field goal attempts. He missed one attempt from 46 yards and one from 48 yards. The weather played a huge factor, but those are points that the Patriots will need come playoff time.
