The extra hyped game between the Patriots (5-0) and the Cowboys (5-0) lived up to the endless slobbering......for three quarters anyway. The Pats faced their first second-half deficit of the season (24-21) but they simply turned it up a notch-that the Cowboys couldn't match-and outscored Dallas 27-3 to close it out. Tom Brady tossed five TD's (a career high) and the funny thing is that it could have been seven. Randy Moss had one TD but another two were called back due to a shaky offensive pass interference call and a nearly impossible catch that was overturned.
No matter, Wes Welker stepped up and had his best game in the NFL (2 TD's, 11 catches and great kick returns) while Donte' Stallworth continued his fine work from last week with another long catch and run for a score plus a 100-yard receiving game. Kyle Brady caught the other TD. We're quickly seeing how each wideout brings his own skills and abilities. Combine them all together and you basically have an All-Pro team. Moss dominated the first few weeks. Teams have started to double him the last two games and now the supporting cast has really stepped up. There's no defense that can stop all of these weapons, led by Tom Brady.
Sammy Morris was ineffective before getting hurt early in the second half meaning that the wily veteran Kevin Faulk saw the most action of the last few years for him. He was decent and the truth is that these Pats are so high-powered, they don't even really need a running game. Now I realize that in the playoffs you need to be able to grind yards and hopefully Maroney and Morris will be healthy by then. Who knows how hurt either of them are?
Ben Watson also left with an ankle injury, hopefully he bounces back soon since he's such a beast. Marcellus Rivers and Kyle Brady do not possess any of the physical talents of Watson. The Pats defense easily faced its stiffest test with the Cowboys solid offense. Romo had a good game but he didn't make the big plays consistently. The Cowboys had a lot of success with Julius Jones and Marion Barber but they couldn't run much as they quickly fell behind by more than one score.
If this was the class of the NFC, the Patriots have nothing to worry about come Super Bowl time. The Cowboys are pretty good but the Pats and Colts are on another planet this season. New England travels to Miami this weekend. The Dolphins always play them tough, especially down there but this year's team (0-6) is probably the worst team in the NFL or at least the AFC (Rams in the NFC). You can't help but feel like the Patriots first unit could put up 40 in the first three quarters or so. Let's just hope its not 100 degrees down there or worse, a pouring rain, slopfest. No matter, nothing can slow this team down.
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