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Dallas Cowboys will need to run the ball in stormy Foxborough

By Steven Mullenax

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 23: Heavy rain falls as Quarterback Joe Flacco #5 hands the ball off to running back Alex Collins #34 of the Baltimore Ravens against the Indianapolis Colts in the third quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on December 23, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 23: Heavy rain falls as Quarterback Joe Flacco #5 hands the ball off to running back Alex Collins #34 of the Baltimore Ravens against the Indianapolis Colts in the third quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on December 23, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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The Dallas Cowboys, who have become more of a passing team, will need to run the football in terrible weather conditions against the New England Patriots.

The Dallas Cowboys enter into their matchup against the defending Super Bowl champion 9-1 New England Patroits with a 6-4 record. Out of those 10 games, the Cowboys have rushed for less than 100 yards four times. And out of those contests, Dallas has lost twice when they’ve rushed for 50 yards or less.

Against the Patriots, the Cowboys will need to run the football. And do so successfully. And that’s due in large part because of the weather. According to reports coming out of Foxborough, Gillette Stadium, which is an open-air facility, is experiencing a significant amount of rain and wind in chilly weather.

The forecast calls for rain with a kickoff temperature of 44°F (feels like 38°F) with winds coming out of the North-NorthWest at 11 mph. That according to NFLWeather.com. Rain is expected throughout the game with possible wind gusts up to 39 mph.

With that kind of weather, the Cowboys’ passing game could struggle. And through the air is how Dallas has been winning a majority of their games as the team leads the NFL in passing offense going into Week 12 averaging 312.7 yards per contest.

And despite having the NFL’s most expensive running back in Ezekiel Elliott and a star-studded offensive line for Zeke to run behind, the Cowboys’ rushing attack has struggled over the past two games. In Week 10, the Minnesota Vikings shutdown Dallas’ running game allowing only 50 yards on the ground in a 28-24 loss.

Last Sunday, against a struggling 3-6-1 Detroit Lions’ squad, Elliott rushed for just 45 yards averaging only 2.8 yards per carry. Fortunately, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott put up a career performance, throwing for 444 yards and three touchdowns in the far too close 35-27 win, earning him the NFC offensive player of the week nod.

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With high wind gusts and rain expected the entire contest, the Dallas Cowboys should look to run the football against the New England Patriots’ top 10 rated rushing defense. More than any other game so far this season, the weather conditions seem to favor a big day by Ezekiel Elliott over the arm of Dak Prescott.

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