The New England Patriots have a legitimate opportunity to flip expectations upside down in Sunday’s road clash with the Dallas Cowboys.
It would be quite the story if the Patriots went into AT&T Stadium and knocked off a Cowboys team that is widely considered a Super Bowl contender. They’d suddenly be sitting at 2-2 with a fighting chance in the AFC East division.
Buy Patriots TicketsAfter dropping back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins, the Patriots finally got in the win column in their first road game of the season against the New York Jets. Meanwhile, the Cowboys were somehow upstaged by quarterback Joshua Dobbs and the Arizona Cardinals.
Considering the elite defenses on both sides, this game has the potential to feel like a heavyweight slugfest. Let’s delve into the eight burning questions facing the Patriots ahead of the Week 4 matchup.
1
Can the Patriots neutralize Micah Parsons?
If the Patriots can’t slow down Micah Parsons, he could single-handedly ruin the game.
The Cowboys’ do-it-all linebacker is a generational talent who is already a favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year. New England hasn’t been able to stay healthy on the offensive line, and the rushing attack has looked a bit sluggish out of the gates.
They did get back on track against a great Jets defense. The unit rushed for 157 yards, and Mac Jones avoided getting sacked. A similar effort would be the right recipe for success in Week 4 as well.
Being able to run the football effectively and consistently is a good way of keeping Parsons from penning his ears back and keying in on the quarterback.
2
Will the Patriots lean more on Zeke?
Rhamondre Stevenson was on the field more in Week 3, but Ezekiel Elliott nearly matched him with 16 carries. The second-year running back had three more carries than Elliott and mustered only 59 rushing yards, as opposed to the longtime veteran’s 80 yards on the ground.
This isn’t something that should be particularly concerning at the moment for Stevenson, who is still an incredibly talented player.
But for whatever reason, Elliott has looked more decisive with the ball in his hands, and he’s clearly an angry and motivated runner right now. Imagine how angry and motivated he’ll be when facing his old team on Sunday.
Given the matchup, the running game was always going to be key in this game. So it sets up perfectly for Elliott to potentially have a monster game in his return to Dallas. Keep in mind, this is the same Cowboys team that got ran over for 222 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in Arizona last week.
3
How will the Patriots hold up against the Cowboys' rushing attack?
The Patriots just put Daniel Ekuale on injured reserve, and both Christian Barmore and Davon Godchaux have been limited participants at practice with lingering injuries.
Having a banged-up defensive front is a big problem when facing a Cowboys offense that loves to run the ball.
If the Patriots can slow the rushing attack and generate pressure up front, they could force Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and company into making mistakes.
The best case scenario is Prescott being forced into third-and-long situations. But of course, that could prove difficult to do if the Patriots’ defensive tackles or either limited or missing entirely from the lineup.
4
How will Christian Gonzalez handle his next big test?
Christian Gonzalez has only played in three games, and he already looks like one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. It’s an easy argument to make considering he’s held some of the league’s best receivers in check in one-on-one matchups.
Tyreek Hill, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle and Garrett Wilson have all struggled to put up numbers when matched up against the Patriots’ rookie first-round draft pick.
Will those struggles continue with a meeting with Cowboys’ star wideout CeeDee Lamb next on the itinerary? If the Patriots defense can limit the rushing attack and Gonzalez locks down Lamb, it’s going to be a long afternoon for Dallas.
5
Will Bill Belichick open up the play-calling?
Raise you hand if you dozed off during the Patriots and Jets game.
Look, the Patriots came out with a victory, and no one is ever going to cry over not losing a football game. But the offense was super conservative throughout the game.
Run, run, pass—it was so predictable. It was maddening.
Zach Wilson isn’t under center this time, and the Patriots will have to score touchdowns to win on the road against a talented Cowboys team. It would be good to see coach Bill Belichick allow the team to open things up a bit more.
Where is the play action calls and passing plays on first and second down? It would be great to see more of that in this game.
6
Can Mac Jones win the big one?
The Patriots’ success isn’t just about opening up the play-calling more. They need Mac Jones and the offense to prove they can overcome adversity and close out games in big moments.
It wasn’t the offense that closed out the Jets in Week 3, even though they had multiple times to do so. Matthew Judon and the defense stepped up and shut down a Jets team that was still in it until the final whistle.
Jones taking the reins and leading his team to a much-needed win on the road against a legitimate Super Bowl contender would be Tom Brady-like.
Not to make a real comparison between the two, but these are the types of games Brady routinely found ways to win and always give his teams a fighting chance.
7
Will Demario Douglas finally have a breakout game?
Demario Douglas is one of the best receivers on the Patriots’ roster, but so far, the rookie sixth-round draft pick has been relatively quiet on the football field. He caught one pass for 15 yards against the Jets a week after he was benched for fumbling the football against the Miami Dolphins.
Opening up the offense means finding ways to get Douglas more involved. It isn’t like the Patriots are loaded with receivers that can consistently create separation and make defensive players miss in the open field. Douglas is a special player that isn’t being utilized nearly enough.
That could change on Sunday if Mac Jones gets time in the pocket. This could be the game where he finally breaks out in the Patriots’ offense.
8
Is it time to give Ty Montgomery more reps?
Demario Douglas isn’t the only player the Patriots would be better off utilizing more on offense. Veteran running back Ty Montgomery should also see more work as a third-down option.
Rhamondre Stevenson has obviously improved as a pass-catcher, but it was brutal seeing him struggle in that department against the Jets. He dropped a wide open pass on one play in particular that would have been an easy third-down conversion.
Yes, the weather was messy, but the Patriots have seemingly gotten away from their heavy usage of running backs as receivers, which has been a staple in the offense for years. Montgomery is exactly the kind of player that can bring that element back successfully.
