This Sunday, the NFL decided to pit the New England Patriots against the Dallas Cowboys in a game that carries a lot of weight on the season for both teams. The Cowboys are coming off a slow 2020 season and have already shown improvements. The Pats are still struggling but also have talent that, once refined, could return the team to its glory days.
Boys Ready For Anything
The Dallas Cowboys lead the NFC East right now and are looking to continue to improve on their 4-1 record. Some would argue that, if it hadn’t been for a miscue and a questionable penalty in their season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Cowboys might now be 5-0. They now seek to continue the winning streak that has been in place since Week 2 and are in good shape against the Pats this weekend.
The Boys are consistently rising in the standings, but the Pats, not so much. However, New England has managed to beat Dallas six straight times. The last time the Cowboys won was in 1996. It’s time for a change, and it helps to remember that the Pats won under Tom Brady.
Dallas has developed an improved running game this year and, despite the Week 1 loss, have also been able to score in the air. That can be attributed to the return of Dak Prescott, whose absence following an injury last season was definitely felt. The Cowboys have accumulated 804 yards on the ground across their last four games – and wins – and can also switch things up, if necessary. This flexibility will be important against a potent Pats defense.
Patriots Still Looking for Their Rhythm
The Pats scored a win in Week 5 after a couple of losses, but they will have to play better on Sunday. That win was against the Houston Texans, which can’t be effectively used as a gauge of an opponent’s ability.
In order to take the win, the Pats will need to be consistent from start to finish, and taking a loss here could be disastrous. It would knock them down to 2-4 this season, which puts them on the same crash course as last year.
New England is definitely going to have to rely on its defense to win this game. Mac Jones has yet to prove that he can carry the Pats and seems to be overwhelmed as the team’s starting quarterback. If the offense can’t move the chains, the defense is going to have to stop the Dallas offense from moving them if the Pats want to win.
Bettors Better Back the Boys
With the way the Pats are playing and the versatility the Cowboys are showing on offense, this is likely to be a Cowboys win. Most of the money has been put on them to take the game, and there isn’t a lot of value on the moneyline. Dallas has gone 5-0 against the spread (ATS) in their last five, which is something to consider, and 4-1 straight up (SU) in as many games. However, in their last six against New England, they are 0-6 SU.
New England is 1-4 SU in their last five at home, and the total has gone under in the last five at home against the Cowboys. The Over/Under for this game is right around 49, and it isn’t easy to imagine this game seeing a lot of points on the board.