The Dallas Cowboys face the New England Patriots this weekend in the return of Ezekiel Elliott to “Big D.” The Cowboys are touchdown favorites.
Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday at AT&T Stadium. The game will be televised on FOX.
The Patriots bounced back from their first 0-2 start since 2001 with a 15-10 win over The Jets in Week 3. While a win over the Zach Wilson-led mess might not immediately draw praise, New England put on a defensive clinic against the run — Breece Hall carried 12 times but gained just 18 yards, and Dalvin Cook rushed for just 18 yards on eight carries. Tony Pollard, meanwhile, has run for at least 70 yards in his first three games.
On offense, a mediocre day from quarterback Mac Jones, including a QBR of 52.8 and a 52 percent completion rate, was offset by a 157-yard effort from the Patriots running backs. Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 80 yards on 16 carries, and he will be looking to carry that momentum ahead to Week 4’s revenge game (whether you believe in those or not).
The Cowboys, meanwhile, playing without star CB Trevon Diggs, were shocked by the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3. Joshua Dobbs completed 17 of 21 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown while rushing six times for 55 yards. And the Cowboys allowed 222 rushing yards — more than they gave up in the previous two games combined. A cerebral Patriots team that often knows exactly how to attack and exploit weaknesses is not who you want to see rolling into town the week after being exposed without your star defender.
Dak Prescott completed 25 of 40 attempts, throwing one interception and one touchdown for a QBR of 41.2. Dallas was missing three of its starters on the offensive line, but the Cowboys still rushed for 185 yards. The health of the offensive line will be a storyline to follow as the week rolls on.
All odds from BetMGM. Looking for NFL tickets? Buy them here.
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(Photo of Ezekiel Elliott: Adam Glanzman / Getty Images)
