Our Defense v. the Pats Offense

I think our only chance is to out-work and out-hustle that crew, freakin' on FIRE with emotion and game.

I was wondering if I was only person who thinks this will be a low-scoring game.  My guess is 20-16, and while I think the Pats will win, their margin of advantage isn't that great.  We could win by the same score almost as easily.

New England has an excellent offense, but I don't think they can keep this up over the course of the season.  Given they haven't faced a defense as good as our's this year, tomorrow might be the first time their output drops into the low 20's.

Is what's called for here.  Schemes and systems and all-out blitzes aren't what beats a truly great offense, physical play and four-down intensity is.

Here are the keys as I see them.

1. Limit the running game.  I don't see why Dallas won't be able to do this, since it's something they've done well all year.  Jay Ratliff might be the most important defensive player on the field for Dallas today, but he hasn't let us down yet, so I can't say I'm too worried about him.

2. Don't let Randy Moss beat you.  Wade Phillips can talk all he wants about how he normally plays one corner to a side, but he's a fool if he doesn't have Terrence Newman shadowing the other 81 as much as possible.  T-New has stepped up against other big time receivers before, and he needs to earn his game check today.  Force the Pats to grind their way up and down the field with Watson and Welker.  If New England can put up 35 with those two carrying the bulk of the load, then they deserve this game.

Which leads me to the third key...

3. Kill the guy with the ball.  One of the most underreported aspects of this game is Dallas' size and strength advantage on both sides on the ball.  Use it.  The Pats are too tough to go down the first time you hit them, but that just means you're going to get a chance to hit them again on the next play. And the next play.  And the next.  And so forth.  NE's receiving corps may be talented, but they're not particularly physical.  Welker is a runt (tough runt, but still a runt), and Moss and Stallworth are much happier running downfield than across it.  Roy-Dub and Hamlin need to bring the pain every time they stick their noses between the numbers.  Put a new bruise on them every play, and by the time the fourth quarter rolls around, those arms will begin to get a little shorter.

4. Guys like Brady love to be blitzed, so don't expect much of it.  But with Ware, Spencer, and Ellis ready to go, I don't see any reason why the Cowboys would need to bring extra people in order to get after Brady.  Brady's the best in the league at moving in the pocket, so try to get him out of it and moving side to side.  He's too smart to be forced into many mistakes, but getting him to throw the ball away and punt is a victory in my book.