Pats-Cowboys Highs and Lows
FOXBORO (CBS) - WBZ-TV's Levan Reid breaks down the Patriots-Cowboys matchup quarter-by-quarter from Gillette Stadium.
4th Quarter/Final Thoughts
The Highs
-Vintage Tom Brady on the Patriots final drive. Goes short and over the middle to get the job done and found the open targets. Caps it off hitting Aaron Hernandez in the end zone for the go ahead touchdown. He didn't have his best day, but he came through when it counted.
- Hernandez set a new career high with eight receptions. In four game this season, the second-year tight end has 27 receptions for 289 yards and three touchdowns.
- While Brady and the offense will get most of the thunder, the defense played well overall. Despite some troubles tackling (major troubles), they only allowed the Cowboys to turn four New England turnovers into six points. The pressure was there, granted in spurts, but this is two straight weeks the Patriots have applied a good amount of heat on the opposing quarterback.
- Andre Carter got to Romo twice for the 10th two-sack game of his career. Carter is up to 2.5 sacks for the season.
- After the Patriots went three and out in the fourth, the D caused their own three and out, forcing Dallas to punt with 2:42 left. That set up the final drive for New England.
-After the Cowboys get the ball on the Hernandez fumble to end the third, the Pats defense holds. Brandon Spikes with some good pressure on Romo to bring up a third and 10. Next play, Romo goes to Miles Austin, but the play is broken up by Kyle Arrington and James Ihedigbo.
Stats: Pats-Cowboys Box Score
The Lows
- The New England tackling was abysmal all game, and that is being kind. The bigger Cowboy receivers took advantage all day.
- After the Cowboys take a 16-13 lead, the Patriots go three and out, with Green-Ellis losing yards on second down and Brady having to throw it away on third and three. It was just their eighth three and out all season.
- On the Cowboys field goal drive to make it 16-13 Dallas, the Patriots got caught in man coverage, and gave up a big 17-yard run by Romo on second and 13.
- Brady threw his second pick of the game, a bad throw under pressure, that ended up getting tipped and intercepted by Sean Lee. Brady was looking in the direction of Aaron Hernandez, who the Cowboys had double coverage on. It was a rare bad decision by #12. You can chalk it up to the pressure Dallas put on him all afternoon.
- The Patriots left a lot of opportunities out there, turning the ball over four times. This will give coach Bill Belichick plenty to bring up during the bye week, and will make for some long film sessions.
Final Score: Patriots 20-16
3rd Quarter
The Highs:
- Andre Carter comes up with another sack on Romo, his second of the game. Defense is applying the pressure.
The Lows:
- First possession of the quarter and the Pats offense comes out and does nothing. Brady gets sacked again, and once again it was by DeMarcus Ware. His second of the game. The third time Brady has been sacked today.
- Dallas gets the ball on their first possession of the quarter and they are eating up the clock. A 12-play drive that goes for 77-yards. The good news is the Cowbowys only got three points out of it.
- Pats get the ball on their second possession of the quarter and they have to punt. They get a running into the kicker call to keep their drive going, but it's a wasted opportunity.
- When New England gets the ball back after the penalty, Aaron Hernandez gets stripped and fumbles the ball. Dallas recovers.
13 to 13 tied after 3
2nd Quarter
The Highs
- The Pats start the quarter with a big play. A 45-yard completion from Brady to Deion Branch. They get some more points on the board when Stephen Gostkowski boots another field goal.
- On the Cowboys first possession of the quarter they get nothing. Pats defense forces a punt.
Live Stats: Follow The Game
- Pats second possession of the quarter and they finally put seven points on the board. The drive started with a 20-yard pass to Rob Gronkowski and ended with a five-yard touchdown pass to Wes Welker.
- Tight End Aaron Hernandez also had a huge spot in New England's touchdown drive. He spun and broke a few tackles on back to back plays, leading the Patriots into Cowboys territory.
The Lows
- Second possession of the quarter for the Cowboys and they make hay because the Pats decide not to tackle. Dez Bryant turned a four yard play into a 33 catch and run, and Demarco Murray turned no gain into eight yards. This drive ends with a one yard touchdown pass from Romo to tight end Jason Witten.
13 to 10 Pats at the break
1st Quarter
Highs
- The Cowboys get the ball first and the defense gets it back. Tony Romo comes out throwing and gets intercepted by Kyle Arrington. That's Arrington's third pick of the season and they turn it into three points. Stevan Ridley with a couple of good runs on that drive.
Read: Levan Reid's Patriots Blog
- Cowboys second possession and the defense holds. Felix Jones scared them with a couple of plays but Andre Carter got the Pats off the field with a sack of Romo.
- Defense does a good job of holding Dallas to only three points after a Tom Brady interception. Crowd caused some false start penalties and the Pats run defense is strong early on...
- Pats defense gets the ball back again. Vince Wilfork forces and fumble and Gerard Warren comes up with the recovery. Defense is saving the Pats so far.
The Lows:
- The Pats wasted a good opportunity after an early Romo interception. They had the ball inside the ten and could not get seven points. Brady was sacked by Demarcus Ware to end the chance.
- Pats second possession and it only last one play. Brady is intercepted by Terence Newman.
- On the kickoff after Dallas kicked the field goal, Matthew Slater fumbled the return. Cowboys ball at the Pats 32
-Brady is sacked to end the first quarter. This time Marcus Spears takes him down. Line has to do a better job protecting Brady.
Game tied at 3 after one
After the Patriots-Cowboys game, hear Tom Brady and Bill Belichick's postgame press conferences on 98.5 The Sports Hub Postgame Show and Patriots Fifth Quarter on MY TV38.
