5 takeaways from the Patriots’ win over the Cowboys
COMMENTARY
The New England Patriots may have taken an unexpected route to their 30-6 blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys, but they still reached the destination that many expected: 4-0.
The Week 5 matchup did not always appear to be headed toward an impressive Patriots win, though, as the two teams were tied, 3-3, after the first quarter. With the Patriots holding a 13-3 lead heading into halftime, the game still seemed far from decided.
Whatever was said in the locker room proved effective in helping the Patriots eliminate the mistakes that plagued them in the first half. When it was over, the Patriots had scored 30 points for the third straight time this season.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the game.
1. The offensive line needs stability: Earlier this season, the Patriots earned plaudits for their use of a rotation on the offensive line. The unconventional strategy helped build depth and seemed to fit the Patriots’ tendency of adjusting personnel groupings for specific situations. But it didn’t work against the Cowboys. Dallas sacked Tom Brady five times in the first half. He had never been sacked that many times in a half in his career. Whether it was Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer or Marcus Cannon, the Patriots offensive tackles all had their share of struggles against Cowboys defensive ends Greg Hardy and Tyrone Crawford. The interior protection was exposed early on an A-gap blitz by Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain. The Patriots apparently couldn’t settle on an offensive line during the bye week, but they may have to adjust on the fly.
2. Jerod Mayo’s role just got a lot more important: It only takes one injury to turn a backup into a key player. In 2013 and 2014, linebacker Jerod Mayo was the injured player being replaced. Against the Cowboys, he was a backup thrust into a key role when Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower went down with a rib injury in the first quarter. In the first three games of the season, Mayo played 44 snaps on defense, according to stats website Pro Football Focus. He might have played as many snaps in Week 5 as he did the first three games of the season. If Hightower’s injury is anything serious, Mayo may be needed to play even more next week.
3. Stephen Gostkowski is the NFL’s most reliable kicker: The Patriots thought kicker Stephen Gostkowski was valuable enough for the franchise tag this offseason. Thus far, he’s proved them right. Through four games, Gostkowski has made all 10 of his field goal attempts. He has converted a higher percentage of field goal attempts than any other kicker since 2013. On Sunday, he nailed a career-long 57-yard field goal at the end of the first half. He is on pace for 40 made field goals this year, which would be a career-high and would make this his third straight year with 35 or more field goals.
4. The Patriots are making great in-game adjustments: Twice this season, the Patriots have come out sluggish in the first half. Both times, they have bounced back with strong second-half showings. The Patriots started off slow on offense in the first quarter, but still held a 13-3 lead headed into the locker room thanks to 10 second-quarter points. In the second half, they continued to improve, outscoring the Cowboys 17-3 after the break. Thanks to better protection for Brady and quicker passes, the Patriots’ offense was able to shake off any early bye-week cobwebs.
5. On to Indianapolis: The Patriots will turn the page quickly on this game to get ready for the Indianapolis Colts. The Patriots will be looking for revenge on the team that contributed to their being investigated for the underinflation of game balls in the AFC Championship Game. The Colts, on the flip side, are seeking vengeance against the team that they may feel unfairly eliminated them from Super Bowl contention last year. There will be no shortage of storylines, to be sure, but do not expect anyone at Gillette Stadium to feed into the hype.
PHOTOS: Patriots vs. Cowboys
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