FOXBOROUGH — Everything you need to know from the Patriots’ win over the Cowboys in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:
HEADLINES
Patriots do enough to win again: Thanks to the special teams (Matthew Slater blocked punt) and defense (Stephon Gilmore interception), the offense had to muster just 58 yards on 19 plays to win this game on three scoring drives. Tom Brady completed just 45.9 percent of his passes in terrible weather, and the offense averaged just 4.3 yards per play, but it looks like a 43-0 blowout win in the scorebook.
Defense makes the plays when it matters: Dallas made some plays thanks to the athletic ability of Dak Prescott and their rushing offense (26 carries, 109 yards) to penetrate the New England 30-yard line four times, but they only came away with nine points and that's not going to get it done. Credit the defense, especially the coverage of Stephon Gilmore on Amari Cooper for shutting the Dallas offense down when it mattered.
Terrible conditions make for a terrible game: It was cold, windy and rainy throughout the game and those in attendance and watching at home were robbed of what could have been a terrific game against two talented teams. Instead, it was basically a rugby scrum with each team seeing who would slip first and give up a big play. A win's a win, but it could have been more fun.
TURNING POINT
This throw from Brady to a leaping Edelman — who is basically dragging his left arm around at this point — basically clinched the game for the Patriots.
Brady with a DIME to Edelman for 23 yards!! pic.twitter.com/4NPE9R3Sxb
— I'M SEEING GHOSTS (@FTBeard11) November 25, 2019
SECOND GUESS
Anything Jason Garrett decided to do — from throwing too much, taking the ball out of Zeke Elliott's hands and kicking two field goals (especially the last one) when the Cowboys needed a touchdown against a tough defense to win the game — could be second-guessed.
THREE UP
Julian Edelman: Completely gutted it out with eight catches for 93 yards for an offense that is just scraping to get by in the passing game.
Stephon Gilmore: Had Amari Cooper as soon as he stepped off the bus and held him to zero catches and zero yards on one target until Cooper's fourth-down catch was reversed late. He's probably mad about the two targets.
N'Keal Harry: Had a drop on a tough pass near the sideline, but his back-shoulder touchdown was the only score of the game and was a huge, huge play for his confidence, Brady's confidence and the team.
THREE DOWN
Shaq Mason: Had penalties and was shoddy with his blocking, specifically in the screen game. Shame. He looked so good last week.
Nick Folk: Crappy conditions but he missed two of four field goals that could have put this game out of reach.
The Refs: And they were bad both ways. They're just inserting themselves into games way too often. That tripping call that prevented the Cowboys from having a fleeting chance was just terrible.
INJURIES
Didn't see any, but Marcus Cannon went out of the game a few times and returned.
TOP PLAYS
?️Blocked by Matthew Slater, the 7-time Pro Bowl special teams player.#DALvsNE | #GoPats pic.twitter.com/SxupmrQcQK
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 24, 2019
OK, @NkealHarry15. #DALvsNE | #GoPats pic.twitter.com/1OA6obWHkU
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 24, 2019
What a play by the best corner in the @NFL.@BumpNrunGilm0re | #GoPats pic.twitter.com/rt1Zwr2isP
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 24, 2019
? Jakobi. @jkbmyrs5 | #GoPats pic.twitter.com/G3h5S3ROGP
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 24, 2019
TWO TAKES BEDARD WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER
Jerry Jones should fire Jason Garrett after this game: How many times is this guy going to play it close to the vest and come up short? The field-goal decision late was basically akin to Garrett's decision to run three times with a three-point lead here eight years ago. You have to be aggressive to beat the Patriots, especially in Gillette, and Garrett obviously does not have the stomach for that.
People should lay off Marshall Newhouse: The backup left tackle became the poster boy for the struggling offense by most fans who just can't seem to say that Tom Brady and the passing offense just isn't good at this point. Isaiah Wynn was heralded as a savior since that meant Newhouse didn't have to play anymore. After Brady again took some serious hits, I hope this opens the eyes to people that the offensive woes were a collective thing — mostly on the lack of viable targets — and not on any one player. Newhouse wasn't good, but he wasn't terrible and he didn't deserve that.