Patriots Take Over in their First Visit to AT&T Stadium

By David Austin Bumpus 10/14/15

The Patriots wore their home blue jerseys in Arlington on Sunday due to the Cowboys being one of the few teams with white home jerseys. However, even in Texas, it still felt like a home game at times for the visitors.

The game started off quietly for both teams, something New England fans haven’t seen happen since last season. Both teams held the opposing offense to just a field goal in the first quarter, and the teams had combined for less than 100 total yards on offense.

The Cowboys defense (and the noise from the home crowd) seemed to have figured out Tom Brady’s offense in the first half, bringing nonstop pressure and sacking the quarterback five times. Brady had not been sacked five times in a half since late in the 2001 season during a game against the Buffalo Bills.

The Cowboys’ offense was led by Brandon Weeden due to usual starter Tony Romo’s broken collarbone, who struggled to get anything going against the Patriots’ defensive line. Weeden was sacked three times in the game and had one interception, and only threw for 188 yards in his 26 completions.

The second quarter brought a small amount of life to the league’s number-one ranked offense, with Tom Brady rushing from one yard out for the first touchdown of the game. Brady’s emphatic spike afterwards seemed to spark the formerly lifeless Patriots, who didn’t give up a touchdown all game on defense and added two passing touchdowns to their score in the next two quarters.

A key factor later in the game seemed to be the Patriots picking up speed in the receiving corps. Wide receiver Julian Edelman and running back Dion Lewis each showed skill in their route running and their movement after receiving the ball, and each caught a touchdown from Brady.

Brady definitely showed his usual self in the last two quarters, as he went 10-of-11 with his two passing touchdowns, and he wasn’t sacked or pressured on any of his 2nd half throws. In the first half, he was pressured on 41% of his chances.

According to Edelman, the crowd seemed split on which team they were rooting for, with “Brady” chants ringing loudly after the quarterback’s 59-yard touchdown pass to Edelman. It’s tough to debate the fact that, after this win, the Patriots have replaced the Cowboys as “America’s Team”.