(photo from dallascowboys.com)

The battle of the Drew Bledsoe replacements ended with the New England Patriots narrowly defeating the Dallas Cowboys Sunday afternoon, 20-16. In what was expected to be a offensive fireworks show, the game ultimately ended up being an ugly defensive battle.

The Cowboys started with the game with the ball. But on the very first play from scrimmage, Dallas TE John Phillips was called for offensive holding. It was a sign of things to come for the Cowboys as later in their first drive QB Tony Romo would be intercepted by CB Kyle Arrington near mid-field.

Despite the great field position caused by the turnover, the New England offense was held to just a field goal by the Dallas Defense. A great DeMarcus Ware ankle sack on Tom Brady on third down resulted in the 41 yard FG by kicker Stephen Gostkowski. The Pats took the early lead, 3-0. (more…)

This game will feature 2 QBs who weren’t even considered to be NFL starters when they joined the NFL. Brady has won numerous Championships (drafted in 6^th rd) and Romo (undrafted) is still looking for his 1^st, but both are considered top level QBs. Neither team is running back concentrated, but the points will certainly be there. Remember Air McNair (RIP, shouldn’t have been screwing around), it will be Air Tom and Tony.

Will the Cowboys turn this 2-2 into a winning season or start following the Eagles path to the bottom of the division? Will the Patriots quest to climb back in to first be the next step for Mel Gibson’s The Patriots? Hopefully there won’t be any voicemails with death threats or verbal abuse on Jerry’s phone come Sunday morning.

Here is my Fantasy Forecast: (more…)

Don't forget about his performance the last time everyone said the Cowboys couldn't win.

All I have heard this week is how it is impossible for anyone, including the Dallas Cowboys, to beat the New England Patriots in Foxboro, and how Tom Brady hasn’t lost a home game since the 19^th Century. All this talk about how indomitable the Patriots are at home reminds me of when the New Orleans Saints were 13-0, and everyone was saying the Dallas Cowboys could never beat the undefeated Saints in their house.

1.  Can Rex Ryan’s defense hold Brady and the Pats to under 20 points?

The Patriots have scored at least 30 points in their last 14 games. The last team to hold them to less than 30 points was Rob Ryan’s Cleveland Browns. Only twice in the last 21 games have the Pats failed to score less than 20 points. Both games in which they failed to eclipse the 20 point mark were against coaches named Ryan.

Simple logic suggests that if Ryan could stop Brady & Co. with the Browns, he should be able to replicate that performance with the Cowboys because the Cowboys have better players on defense.

As I mentioned in a previous article, I am not convinced that Ryan deserves as much credit as he has received for shutting down the Pats in that game. (Click here to read that article)

I will be watching to see if Ryan can prove me wrong by devising a game-plan that confuses Brady and the Pats OL.

Writer’s Update: I just read this on Ellis’ blog at dc.com:

This week’s gameplan, characterized as “the kitchen sink” and “a head-scratcher” by Ryan’s own players on the Cowboys defense, is a credit to two defensive assistants, Ben Bloom and Dave Borgonzi, doing extensive research on the Pats.

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