5 keys to the Patriots’ matchup against the Cowboys
COMMENTARY
At the start of the season, the matchup between the Patriots and the Cowboys in Week 5 looked like a must-see clash between playoff-bound teams, maybe even a preview of Super Bowl 50.
It still could be those things, of course. But the Cowboys’ lineup doesn’t look nearly as formidabble as it once did. Wide receiver Dez Bryant (foot), quarterback Tony Romo (collarbone), and running back Lance Dunbar (ACL) will not play due to injury. The Patriots, meanwhile, are relatively healthy and rested coming off their Week 4 bye. Before the off week, the offense set a franchise record for most points in the first three games of the season because Tom Brady is still really, really good at football.
At least the Cowboys have home-field advantage?
The Brandon Weeden-led Cowboys will face Brady and the Patriots in what may be a lopsided affair at 4:25 p.m. on Sunday. Here are the New England Patriots’ five keys to victory.
1. Death. Taxes. Gronk.
It’s no secret that Tom Brady wants to throw to Rob Gronkowski. But opponents can’t — or don’t — cover him. If Brady and Gronk continue to own the middle of the field and the red zone, the Patriots’ offense will be too potent for the depleted Cowboys to keep pace.
Should Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee play a significant role after clearing concussion protocols earlier this week, his matchup with Gronk could be the game’s most important one-on-one battle. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has praised Lee’s abilities in run- and pass-defense, and described his red zone interception of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford earlier this season as “one of the best plays you’ll see.’’
Lee was in coverage on tight end Zach Ertz on that pick. Still, advantage Gronk.
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2. Patriots must slow down Greg Hardy and the Cowboys’ pass rush
“He’s a handful,’’ Bill Belichick said of Hardy this week.
That’s a gross understatement.
Let’s assume that the Patriots’ coach was referring to the defensive end’s on-field performances and not his recent comments about Tom Brady or his four-game suspension stemming from a domestic violence arrest in 2014.
On the field in 2013, Hardy racked up 15 sacks for the Carolina Panthers. He was put on the NFL’s commissioner’s exempt list after one game in 2014, and has yet to play in 2015. With Hardy returning this week, the burden of stopping him will fall on the Patriots’ offensive line, especially left tackle Nate Solder.
But Patriots running backs Dion Lewis and LeGarrette Blount can help deter the pass rush with strong pass-protection, a power run game, and explosive screen plays. Brady can also help his own cause by continuing to get rid of the ball quickly. He is averaging 1.95 seconds in the pocket and just 2.04 seconds before passing, according to ESPN’s Ed Werder.
Similar numbers on Sunday would help Solder.
3. Jason Witten must be kept out of the box score
With Dez Bryant and Lance Dunbar out, the Cowboys have limited offensive options aside from Witten. Brandon Weeden has already targeted his veteran tight end 14 times for 10 receptions since relieving Tony Romo in Week 2.
Since taking the reins of the offense, Weeden has been surprisingly secure with the ball, yielding one turnover in the last three games. In his previous 28 games with the Cowboys and Browns, he threw 29 interceptions. Witten’s big frame and dependability as a pass-catcher seem to provide a safety net for Weeden, and may be the biggest reasons the quarterback has avoided handing the ball to his opponents. Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins, who has proved effective covering tight ends in the past, will likely be tasked with denying Witten the ball.
The Patriots like to try to neutralize an offense’s most important player. On this injury-riddled offense, that looks like Witten.
4. Patriots’ front seven can’t get pushed around by the ‘best offensive line in the league’
Bill Belichick had high praise for the Cowboys’ offensive line on Wednesday. Of course, he also touted the Jacksonville defensive line before gashing it for 125 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. But Dallas has the offensive line that sprung DeMarco Murray for 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. Yes, the same DeMarco Murray who has rushed for 47 yards at 1.6 yards per carry with the Eagles this season.
The Cowboys will likely attempt to rely upon those linemen to establish a running game, possess the ball. They will want to build long drives using Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden to keep Brady off the field. While the running back tandem looked ineffective against New Orleans in Week 4, the team produced a four-touchdown rushing performance against the Atlanta Falcons a week before that.
Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower, and the Patriots’ defensive line will need to shed blocks, stick to their assignments, and stay stout in run defense.
5. Dion Lewis should be primed for a big day in the passing game
The Cowboys allowed 13 receptions to running backs against New Orleans, including an 80-yard game-winning touchdown pass to C.J. Spiller.
Lewis has become a threat as a receiver and a rusher for the Patriots. Entering Week 5, it’s clear Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels likes getting him the football. The whole organization seems to like him. It’s likely why he reportedly signed a two-yearcontract extension this week.
If the Patriots establish a big lead, they might start giving the ball to LeGarrette Blount, a 250-pound back who has lost just one fumble in his last 29 games.
Until that point — or if that point never comes — Lewis should be a focal point in the Patriots’ offense.
Where the Patriots called home before Gillette
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