The Cowboys have been tested early and often this year, and have become a battle
hardened team in my opinion. From Week one until last week, each of those games have posed some sort of issue, and the common denominator in all those games has been halftime adjustments. I will reiterate how awesome Phillips and Garrett have been at the half. In EVERY single game, I knew the Cowboys would turn it up and fix problems posed in all the games this year. This time will be no different. Like I said before, play Cowboys football like we’ve played all year. Don’t force the quick pass and get burned like last week. Play smart and we will win this game.
Keys to Victory
Same as always, limit turnover, limit stupid penalties, sustain drives, create pressure and earn some take aways. Composure on both sides of the ball will be vital. The Cowboys will be tested early in the secondary. Knowing this, the Cowboys better get to Tom Brady. Phillips has had great success in containing Brady each of the times he’s faced him, and with rejuvenated defense, it’ll be a battle. Romo must play smart, no risky or off the range stuff this time.
Contain Randy Moss
The defense kept us in the game last week, and they continue to show great improvement. The defense will have another big task at hand in containing Moss. BUT in stopping Moss, they better have Welker and Stallworth covered, the Patriots are very capable of winning game with those WRs.
Cover Watson 24/7
Second to Moss, Ben Watson has become a big weapon for Brady, and Watson has speed and will catch the ball all over the field. The Cowboys will need to have a hat on Watson at all time, or he will punish us. The Patriots will try to matchup Watson on Roy Williams, and we could get beatup there. Control Moss and Watson, and we’re in business.
Blocking and Execution
The Cowboys can short circuit the Patriots defense with effective blocking schemes and
execution. Garrett will unleash some very pinpoint calls this week, and everyone will need to execute to near perfection for some of these plays to work. The offensive line, TE, WRs, FBs, will need to block effectiveluy to help the running game this week. We have to pickup the blitz as well.
Play two or three steps ahead
The Patriots will want to shutdown our most effective weapons offensively. To me, the Patriots will cover TO man to man, and help with a saftey, but they will try to shutdown Jason Witten. Witten has been our number one offensive playmaker, and he keep drives alive. If the Patriots shutdown Witten, it’ll be up to TO and Crayton. We can still hit them
there, but it’ll slow us down considerably and the effects can snowball.
Look for the Patriots to try to shutdown Marion Barber III, the Bills showed how to slow down the running game most of the game, and if we have any success we need to get the running game going with Barber or Jones, preferably with both. So, the Cowboys job will be to make the right calls to offset the Patriots plans on defense. I’m confident in Garrett.
Patriots @ Cowboys
Texas Stadium – Artificial Turf
CBS 3:15 PM CST
Analysts: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
NFL.com Gamecenter
The Rest of the NFC East:
Redskins @ Packers 12:00 CST
Eagles @ Jets 12:00 CST
Giants @ Falcons 7:30 CST ESPN
Browns Watch:
Dolphins @ Browns 12:00 CST
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Madden Forecast: Cowboys 10 Patriots 41
My Prediction: Cowboys 38 Patriots 24
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