ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys (2-1) have an opportunity to get the bad taste of defeat out of their mouths in Week 4 when they host the New England Patriots (1-2). After a 28-16 Week 3 loss to Arizona, it feels like the Cowboys are itching to get back to their winning ways, but facing a Bill Belichick team is never fun.
These teams are coming into the game on opposite ends of the spectrum. The Patriots won their first game of the season in Week 3, while the Cowboys played their worst game in their first loss of the year last Sunday. Returning to Dallas, and the friendly, speedy confines of AT&T Stadium, gives an opportunity for home field advantage.
Here are some other keys to beating the Patriots in Week 4:
Halt the ground game
This is obvious, especially after last week, but it doesn’t make it any less true. The Cowboys showed the first real signs of cracks in their defense by allowing 222 yards on the ground against the lowly Arizona Cardinals. The Patriots will force Dan Quinn’s unit to show that they can stop the run, and if they can't, Belichick will hammer the run and try to control the game.
New England averages 107 rushing yards per game and brings a solid duo at running back with Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott in the backfield. Stevenson is the starter, but the former Cowboy Elliott makes his return to Dallas coming off his best game with the Patriots, gaining 80 yards on 15 carries.
The tandem is one of the more physical 1-2 punches at RB in the league, the Cowboys will have their hands full trying to stop the running game of the Patriots.
Protect Prescott from Judon attack
The Patriots have a solid defense, and it includes one star that could disrupt the offensive game plan. Pass rusher Matthew Judon is among the league’s best at getting to the quarterback.
Last year Judon was fourth in the league in sacks with 15.5, and already has four this season. Judon also has back-to-back double-digit sack seasons since arriving in New England and is on his way to doing it for a third straight year.
The Cowboys are still not sure of who will be playing on the offensive line, nor do they know yet who will line up at which spot due to multiple injuries, making things uncomfortable for Prescott.
Regardless of who plays, the Cowboys need to be aware of where Judon is at all times.
Make Mac Jones beat them
The Cowboys struggled to force Joshua Dobbs into mistakes last week, failing to take the ball away and coming up with just two sacks. That cannot happen again this weekend if the Cowboys want to win their third game.
Patriots starting quarterback Mac Jones hasn’t found a rhythm yet this season and has the lowest completion percentage of his career in the early going. Jones might still be adjusting to a new offensive scheme brought in by offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, so the Cowboys could be catching the Patriots at the right time.
New England doesn’t have an explosive passing attack, so the defense needs to press Jones to beat them. Slowing the running game and making Jones beat them through the air would be an ideal path to winning this game. Pressuring Jones and forcing him into mistakes is a path to victory for the Cowboys.
Convert in the red zone
The Cowboys haven’t had much issue moving the ball through the first three weeks of the season, however, they have had an issue scoring touchdowns. It’s an offense that has cashed in on just three of their last 11 trips inside the 20-yard line, placing them 27th in the league in red zone conversions.
That’s not good enough and scoring just 13 points on five red zone trips last week got Dallas beat.
Expect Belichick to take away what the Cowboys want to do on offense on the short field and make life difficult when they get into scoring position. If that happens, and Mike McCarthy can’t find a way to punch it in, it might be another frustrating day for Dallas.
Be more aggressive on offense
The Cowboys have all the pieces in place to light up the scoreboard on offense, but thus far they haven’t been explosive enough. They are working through a new offense, but there haven’t been many shots taken in the intermediate or deep parts of the field.
Until they start throwing to those areas, defenses will continue to squat on the quick, short passing game from the Cowboys. It’s something Belichick and his staff will exploit unless McCarthy can force the Patriots to back off and defend the entire field.
The offensive line shuffle might be a reason for some of the hesitance in the play calling, but the Cowboys will have to get aggressive at some point. Less running on first and second downs and throwing the ball down the field would help that cause.
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