There will be a few key matchups to watch when the New England Patriots host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
1. Stephon Gilmore vs. Amari Cooper
Patriots All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore will likely shadow Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper all over the field. Gilmore referred to Cooper as one of the best receivers in the NFL this week.
“He’s at the top. He’s a great receiver,” Gilmore said. “He makes big catches, tough catches even when guys are covering him. He’s fast, quick. I mean, when you’re one of the best receivers in the league you can run every route and you can make everything look the same. So, it’s a big challenge for us and I’m looking forward to it.”
Cooper has 56 receptions for 886 yards and seven touchdowns in 10 games this season. No matter who closely covered, Cooper is always on quarterback Dak Prescott’s radar, trusting him to make a play even when it looks like nothing is there.
Gilmore, however, how been equally impressive. He has three interceptions with 10 passes defensed and has not allowed a touchdown in coverage this year.
2. Julian Edelman vs. Cowboys zone defense
It will be interesting to see if the Cowboys stick with their usual zone defense in the secondary, despite the fact the Patriots could be thin at wide receiver depending on the availability of Phillip Dorsett (questionable) and Mohamed Sanu (questionable).
If the Cowboys stick with what they do and play zone, it could be a big day for receiver Julian Edelman. Quarterback Tom Brady and Edelman have frequently picked zone defenses apart as the tandem excels at finding the soft spot in the defense.
In addition to Edelman, rookie receiver N’Keal Harry, who has played in just one NFL game, could prove much more of a threat against zone defenses. While Harry could have trouble running routes against man-to-man coverage, finding a hole in the zone would likely be much easier.
3. LT Isaiah Wynn vs. DE Robert Quinn
Coach Bill Belichick referenced the aggressiveness of the Cowboys mid-week. That aggressiveness is seen even more in pass-rush situations and Dallas has a core group of edge rushers that pressure quarterbacks quarterbacks with Robert Quinn (team-high 8.5 sacks) and Demarcus Lawrence (4.5 sacks) leading the charge.
Quinn, frequently on the right side, will provide a tough challenge for left tackle Isaiah Wynn, who is expected to start for the first time since Week Two.
Wynn held up well in his lone game against the Pittsburgh Steelers (including edge rushers T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree) in the Patriots season opener this year. But it will be interesting to see if there’s any rust to knock off in his first game since September.
Right tackle Marcus Cannon limiting Lawrence will be equally crucial.
4. Patriots run defense vs. Ezekiel Elliott
Belichick talked about the problems the Dallas offense presents. If the Patriots sell out to stop quarterback Dak Prescott and the passing game, running back Ezekiel Elliott is more than capable of beating them.
Elliott, of course, was the league’s rushing champion in both 2016 and 2018. He has 194 rushes for 833 yards (4.3 per carry) with seven touchdowns in 10 games this season.
Bottling up the run will be a crucial priority for defensive lineman Lawrence Guy, Adam Butler and Danny Shelton. The unit is coming off of a decent performances against Philadelphia last week, as the Eagles recorded the fifth most rushing yards against the Patriots this season (81).
Of course, the Patriots have also had their low moments allowing 210 rushing yards to the Baltimore Ravens, 159 to the Cleveland Browns, 145 to the Washington Redskins and 135 to the Buffalo Bills.
5. Bill Belichick vs. Cowboys talent
Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garett has a roster littered with talent. The Cowboys have offensive playmakers, a good offensive line and a crew of defensive standouts. But they haven’t always been able to put it together and a large part of that is coaching, and specifically Garrett.
It will be interesting to see if the Cowboys talent can/will make up for the Patriots advantage in coaching with Belichick.