Patriots Pregame Thread Week 4 discussion: Pats @ Cowboys

[TheRazorsEdge]

We will win. Simply because I will be in the house.

Statement game. World expects the pats to try to do what Zona did but instead Mac comes out firing and the cowboys struggle to adjust.

No, I haven't started drinking...yet.

 

[sb1]

No turnovers limit the self inflicted mistakes and the Pats got this.

 

[turkeyneck]

No turnovers limit the self inflicted mistakes and the Pats got this.

Stop killing drives with
1. turnovers
2. stupid penalty cascades
3. inane 3rd and long bombs to unopen receivers.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

This is a winnable game - Dallas OL is beat up and on defense they can be run on and are missing their top corner. Their wins have come against weaker competition aided by two return TDs against the Giants. Belichick will have some scheme against Parsons.

An interesting statistic here:

Prescott's average throw this year travels only 5.5 yards down the field, per NextGen Stats, which is 33rd out of 34 qualifying quarterbacks. His average yards per attempt ranks 24th (6.3) after checking in at 7th (7.3) in that same category a year ago.

More interesting nuggets here:

Perry's Patriots-Cowboys preview: What's the blueprint for an upset?

Phil Perry breaks down the most important matchups in Sunday’s Patriots-Cowboys Week 4 showdown in Dallas.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

 

[Real fan 02]

the defense has to play like they did in week 1. if they have a repeat of the Miami game, they will lose. contain the edges, tackle well. Godcheaux's health will be a big factor. Larry Guy has played poorly to date. he and Barmore have to have big games. Wise was impressive against the Jets. he has to build on it. Will White bump inside?

who plays RT? Lowe with plenty of size and strength. he gave up a lot of pressures/hits against speed to his outside shoulder. against Dallas, is Anderson the better option? Strange/Mafi have to play better, but will not have to contend with Q Williams.

we get to see Douglas on a fast field. give Montgomery some snaps at slot. give Gesicki more snaps at slot. JuJu either not healthy, not in shape or not understanding the offense. he has been very bad so far. let him sit a bit.

Agreed.. the game plan against Miami appeared that Mayo/ Steve B were content with giving up running lanes they wanted to stop the deep passing attack. The O line situation will be infux all season.. so I've said in older post may the healthiest 5 guys play! Juju is clearly not right.. he's too good a player to put up stinkers like he's been doing. If he's not healthy put Him on IR and let the young guys get more run. Thornton is coming back after next week so hopefully going forward he can give us something down field. Guy is 33 and this is when D lineman start to slow down. He's played alot of great football and at this point his a savy veteran and rotation guy. I loved the change up on defense last game. Let the young guns play and have wise come in as sub rusher/ run stuffer. As great as gonzo has been we don't want to keep so much pressure on him.. as at some point he'll hit that rookie wall with a 17 game season. We need a healthy Jon jones.. and hopefully Jack will return soon!
Hope we can keep the running game going because if not no Matter who's out there at WR and TE the play action game won't be a factor for us.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Uche/Wise vs. Udoga
Judon/White vs. Steele

Gonzalez vs. Lamb
Jones vs. Cooks

This is a good matchup for the pats defense. I know people were frustrated with the gameplan vs. the fins but I get playing conservative without your 2nd, 3rd & eventually 4th cbs vs. tyreek & waddle. They should be playing man and attacking an injured OL in this one though.

edit: Jonathan jones is out. More zone coming. Offense has to show up tomorrow.

 

[Uptown]

Always loved his versatility/physicality.

 

[Real fan 02]

Always loved his versatility.

Definitely an alpha he's the attitude for us on defense.

 

[Patsfan1958]

Cowboys scouting report on the Pats defense:

"Thus far, they’re the only team to hold the Dolphins under 30 points and the Eagles under 20 points."

Cowboys scouting report: Breaking down the Patriots defensive scheme

 

[patfanken]

I'm having a hard time figuring this game out, and I still haven't decided which team I think will win. My inclination is to pick the Pats, but I suspect that might be more of a hope than an analysis. Both teams have a road to a win, but it's hard to quantify their chances. The Cowboys have better players; the Pats have better coaches? The Pats are on the way up; the Cowboys are facing yet another (in a long line of) inexplicable fainting spells? Which Dak? Which Mac?

I started typing this in the hope that something insightful and definitive would emerge. No such luck. I've got nothing.

If I were a betting man, I'd say that line looks pretty favorable for a bet on the Pats.

Well I think you came up with one important insight, T. "the cowboys have better players, but the Pats have the better coaches". Well EVERY coach who gets to that level is a knowledgeable and hard working coach, but like in every field some are just better than others. I would opine that the Pats will go into this game better game plan than the Cowboys. Maybe not a LOT better, but better nonetheless.

McCarthy has been a HC for many years with the Packers and now with the Cowboys, so he must be doing SOMETHING right. But I look on this game like I would playing the Steelers. Tomlin is obviously a REALLY good coach, his record speaks for itself. But when it comes to playing the Pats they usually come in 2nd as far as game plans and in game adjustments.

 

[FCB02062]

Last time Bill the Coach beat a playoff caliber team on the road was week 11 in 2019 (outside of the monsoon hurricane buffalo game). He's failed every other time. Make us believe again...go down to Dallas and do what your teams did countless times from 2001 - 2018...Bill the Coach should not lose to Mike McCarthy, right?

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Last time Bill the Coach beat a playoff caliber team on the road was week 11 in 2019 (outside of the monsoon hurricane buffalo game). He's failed every other time. Make us believe again...go down to Dallas and do what your teams did countless times from 2001 - 2018...Bill the Coach should not lose to Mike McCarthy, right?

This is a good point. Time to step up. BB is better than McCarthy. Not sure the offense is ready.

 

[Real fan 02]

This is a good point. Time to step up. BB is better than McCarthy. Not sure the offense is ready.

Actually the last time was the chargers on the road in 2021..

 

[Thelonious]

I am having a lot of trouble figuring this game out. The Pats have better coaches; the Cowboys have better players. It is difficult to suss out the actual quality of both teams based on their perplexing records. Which of the various Dak's will show up, and can the Pats' defense influence this? All I know about X's and O's is that one stands for hugs, the other for kisses, so I get no help there. Will an outraged Cowboys team try to touch Mac's naughty parts in support of Jerruh's lifelong commitment to sexual propriety? I do not know.

So I am just gonna guess. The Pats will win 24-17. Under pressure all day, Dak will make three significant mistakes, one or two of which will lead to Pats' scores. The Pats' younger WR's will have a surprisingly good day, benefiting from play action throws, and from the fact that Bill finally realizes neither JJSS nor Parker is worth much out there. Remember when Brady would play games which looked sort of meh in the box score but which nevertheless accounted for the win? That's what Mac will do this game: like17 of 24 for 210 yards, one or two TD's, one interception attributable to a drop. Maybe not even that good, but clearly and importantly good enough. Mac will continue to demonstrate what a tough little fella - tennis brat or not - he really is. The Pats will feature the running game, with Zack again outgaining Rhamondre. Rhamondre will have one longish pass and decent but inconsistent running. Pharoah will do something interesting to wild but unjustified acclaim, acclaim in which I will happily participate.

Some of this is built on mere hope, of course, but I'm just feeling hopeful for some reason. I just think it's gonna be a happy day. How's that for penetrating analysis?

 

[Mack Herron]

 

[jimnance]

This is a good point. Time to step up. BB is better than McCarthy. Not sure the offense is ready.

W/o Diggs, Cowboys are weak at the corners. They usually play a ton of man and even though the Pats wrs do not get separation, I wonder if McCarthy might try more zone.
Either way,advantage Patriots. If Dallas plays their usual Cover 1, hard for me to believe they can't beat 90 year old Gilmore and a 5th rounder one on one.
And if Dallas goes zone,Mac is good vs. zone.
Of course,the OL needs to keep Parsons from murdering Mac.
It's a winnable game but they have to stop bad penalties and turnovers

 

[Mack Herron]

 

[Thelonious]

The void left by Strange's absence is a smallish void as such voids go, particluarly when a first-rounder is involved.

 

[Thelonious]

We will win. Simply because I will be in the house.

Statement game. World expects the pats to try to do what Zona did but instead Mac comes out firing and the cowboys struggle to adjust.

No, I haven't started drinking...yet.

I like this. It might even be right! If we lose, I'm afraid Mac might bust his racket over somebody's head, so I hope you're on the money.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

The void left by Strange's absence is a smallish void as such voids go, particluarly when a first-rounder is involved.

Illustrates that we actually have among the best depth on the OL of any team. It's not necessarily starter-level depth, but nobody has that.