What To Watch For As Patriots Visit Cowboys
BOSTON (CBS) -- From a spectator's perspective, bye weeks are the unequivocal worst events in the universe. Fortunately, the football hiatus ends Sunday, and the football won't stop until January -- or perhaps February.
Beginning Sunday in Dallas, the Patriots will play four games in 18 days, and they won't have another weekend free until Jan. 10, provided they can earn a first-round playoff bye. With a 3-0 record and a schedule that is not particularly difficult, they're surely on their way to achieving that.
But to get there, they'll need to win at least 10 more football games, and though they won't be facing the '85 Bears along the way, it's always challenging to win in the NFL. So there's no looking past any opponent, and especially not the Cowboys in their home stadium.
Here's what to expect when the Pats and the Cowboys take the field late Sunday afternoon.
Slow Start?
Bye weeks are always nice for football players, who put their bodies through tremendous torment. That being said, the Patriots' bye couldn't have come at a more inopportune time. Not only did it come in Week 4, thereby forcing them to play for 13 straight weeks, but it came when they were on a complete roll offensively.
They steadily upped their points scored per game, putting up 28 vs. Pittsburgh, 40 at Buffalo, and 51 vs. Jacksonville. The last thing a powerful offense that's firing on all cylinders wants is a week off. Yet that's what they got.
So now, it'll be interesting to see how sharp the offense looks coming out of the gates. To be sure, there's no reason to think Tom Brady and Co. will suddenly be a disaster. But don't be surprised to see the Patriots come out a little bit slower than the last time you saw them.
Back To The Ground
For anyone who loves a spectacle, it was moderately disappointing to see the Patriots so often go to the run game in the red zone against the Jaguars. Touchdown passes are much more fun. Alas, Jacksonville made it too easy, and so LeGarrette Blount scored on 1-yard touchdowns on three separate occasions, and Dion Lewis also scored on the ground.
Those hoping for a more exhilarating method of scoring this Sunday may come away sorely disappointed.
The Cowboys rank in the middle of the pack in terms of yards allowed and points allowed, but they've been pretty good at preventing touchdown passes. They've allowed just five on the year, tied for sixth-fewest in the NFL. They did have the benefit of facing Sam Bradford, but the other three QBs (Eli Manning, Matt Ryan, Drew Brees) are certainly capable of having three-touchdown days.
On the flip side, the Cowboys have allowed five rushing touchdowns, which ties them for third-most.
Of course, the Patriots do have Rob Gronkowski, and the Cowboys' putrid pass rush (six sacks, tied for third-fewest), so it's always possible that Brady and Gronkowski hook up for a score or two. But path of least resistance to the end zone may once again be on the ground.
Greg Hardy, The Donkey
Fresh off serving his four-game suspension, Greg Hardy will return to the field on Sunday. He hopes to see Brady lying on his back, and he hopes to see Gisele Bundchen and her family at the game as well.
Hardy is a bad person, and he's only listed as a "donkey" in the headline because this is a family website. But on Sunday, he could be as much of a menace as he is off the field. He played just one game last season, but in the two seasons prior he combined sacked the quarterback 26 times. Though he's unlikely to be in complete game shape, he'll instantly become the biggest problem facing the men in charge of protecting Tom Brady.
Bringing Brandon Back To Earth
Entering this season, Brandon Weeden was a 56 percent career passer. He had thrown 26 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. So when Tony Romo went down, there wasn't much hope for the soon-to-be-32-year-old.
Yet somehow, Weeden has completed 76.3 percent of his passes thus far. Nobody in the NFL has been better. He's averaged 239 yards in his two starts, and in total he's thrown 2 TDs and 1 INT on the season.
It may not sound like much, but for Brandon Weeden, that's his best work since the 2011 season at Oklahoma State.
New England may be the team that brings Weeden back to reality.
The Patriots rank fifth in the NFL with 13 sacks, and sixth in the NFL with five interceptions. That's despite playing one fewer game than all but one NFL team.
Now granted, those stats are boosted by facing Tyrod Taylor (who took an absurd eight sacks in Week 2), Blake Bortles (who was sacked fifty-five times last season) and Ben Roethlisberger (who often opts to stand like a statue in the pocket and absorb a half-dozen hits). But still, four sacks per game is four sacks per game.
Come Sunday evening, Brandon Weeden may once again look like Brandon Weeden.
Read more from Michael Hurley by clicking here. You can email him or find him on Twitter @michaelFhurley.
