Patriots Vs. Cowboys Preview: What To Watch For In Week 12 Matchup

Two of the NFL’s marquee franchises will square off this Sunday in Foxboro, Mass.

Here’s what to watch for as the New England Patriots host the Dallas Cowboys:

THE DETAILS
Time: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
Location: Gillette Stadium
TV: FOX

LAST WEEK
Tom Brady wasn’t pleased with New England’s offensive performance last Sunday in Philadelphia, but smothering defense and a stellar performance from AFC Special Teams Player of the Week Jake Bailey were enough to propel the 9-1 Patriots to a 17-10 road win over the Eagles. The victory allowed the Patriots to keep their spot atop the AFC standings, one game ahead of the 8-2 Baltimore Ravens.

The 6-4 Cowboys fought off an upset bid by Lions backup quarterback Jeff Driskel to win 35-27 in Detroit. They’re currently in the driver’s seat in the NFC East.

THE ODDS
The Patriots entered the weekend as 6 1/2-point home favorites over the Cowboys, who are 0-3 this season against teams currently in playoff position (losses to the New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings). New England has not lost at home since Week 4 of the 2017 season, winning 20 straight at Gillette.

The Patriots are 7-3 against the spread this season. The Cowboys are 6-4 ATS.

INJURY REPORT
Twelve Patriots players are listed as questionable for this game, including Brady, who was limited in practice Friday with an elbow injury. That list also includes wide receivers Mohamed Sanu (ankle) and Phillip Dorsett (concussion), both of whom missed at least one practice this week.

LB Ja’Whaun Bentley, Knee
QB Tom Brady, Right Elbow
OT Marcus Cannon, Illness
S Patrick Chung, Heel/Chest
WR Phillip Dorsett, Concussion
S Nate Ebner, Ankle/Back
WR Julian Edelman, Shoulder
RB Damien Harris, Hamstring
CB Jason McCourty, Groin
WR Mohamed Sanu, Ankle
DE John Simon, Elbow
WR Matthew Slater, Hamstring

Cannon is expected to play, according to offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia. Brady reportedly is expected to play, as well.

The Cowboys ruled starting linebacker Leighton Vander Esch out with a neck injury and listed linebacker Joe Thomas (illness), safety Donovan Wilson (illness) and guard Connor Williams (knee) as questionable.

There’s also this:

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Isaiah Wynn, Patriots left tackle
Wynn in, Marshall Newhouse out. Regardless of Wynn’s brief NFL track record, that’s a significant upgrade — and a timely one, as well, with Dallas boasting two talented edge rushers in DeMarcus Lawrence and Robert Quinn. Wynn, who was activated off injured reserve this week, is an excellent pass protector, and he should help in the running game, as well, as Newhouse ranks 73rd in Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade among tackles with 100-plus snaps played.

Michael Bennett, Cowboys defensive end
Speaking of Cowboys pass rushers, Bennett has been great for Dallas since the Patriots traded him there last month, tallying three sacks, three tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits in his first three games for his new club. He’s a better fit for the Cowboys’ penetrating 4-3 front than he was for the Patriots’ 3-4 and will pose a challenge to New England’s O-line on passing downs.

N’Keal Harry, Patriots wide receiver
With Sanu and Dorsett banged up, Harry could see another hefty workload in his second NFL appearance. The first-round draft pick played 32 offensive snaps against Baltimore in his pro debut after spending the first half of the season on IR, with 25 of those coming after Dorsett left the game early in the third quarter. Harry was used sparingly in the passing game (four targets, three catches, 18 yards) but could see more looks this week as his command of the offense and chemistry with Brady improves.

Amari Cooper, Cowboys wide receiver
Cooper, a three-time Pro Bowler, has been an undeniable top-five receiver since the Oakland Raiders traded him to the Cowboys midway through last season. Since then, no wideout has more touchdowns than his 13, and only Michael Thomas, Julio Jones, Mike Evans and DeAndre Hopkins have more receiving yards than his 1,607. The Patriots likely will counter Cooper with All-Pro corner Stephon Gilmore, who called the Dallas star one of the best wideouts in the league this week.

He’s not the Cowboys’ only receiving threat, though. Cooper, second-year pro Michael Gallup and veteran slot receiver Randall Cobb have been arguably the league’s most productive wideout trio this season. With quarterback Dak Prescott in the midst of a career season, Dallas ranks first in passing offense and yards per pass attempt, as well as total offense, yards per play and third-down conversion percentage. The Cowboys have been the fourth-highest-scoring team in the NFL this year (28.6 points per game), just a hair behind the third-ranked Patriots (28.7).