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Who are the New England Patriots’ top threats to going 16-0?

By Patrick Morgan

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 08: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots looks on during the game between the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 08: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots looks on during the game between the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – OCTOBER 11: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots directs the offense during the NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on October 11, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Mike Stone/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – OCTOBER 11: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots directs the offense during the NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on October 11, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Mike Stone/Getty Images) /

4. Dallas Cowboys

One team that will not be playing at home when they take on the defending champions is the Dallas Cowboys. Separated by conference, the Cowboys and the Patriots rarely play one another, despite sharing the “honor” of being the two most despised franchises in the NFL by fans (and also two of the most popular, for the record).

Dallas has lost their past five contests against New England, though they won all seven of the games before that. The two teams have locked horns four times in the Bill Belichick and Tom Brady era, with the Patriots emerging victorious each and every instance… most memorably back in 2007, when both teams entered that game undefeated (the Pats won in Dallas by a score of 48-27 over Tony Romo and company).

This 2019 Cowboys team has the makings of a Super Bowl contender, though. Even with star running back Ezekiel Elliott having missed all of training camp and the preseason while successfully holding out for a new contract, the ‘Boys blasted the New York Giants in Week 1 thanks to the arm and savvy decision-making of quarterback Dak Prescott, who himself should be due for a lucrative contract extension in the near future.

While Dallas’ offense will get most of the attention this season, its defense is pretty top-notch as well. Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch represent arguably the best linebacker duo in the entire league, and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence will surely be a handful for right tackle Marcus Cannon to contend with in Week 12 – and that’s assuming Cannon is healthy and returned from a shoulder injury he sustained Sunday night.

The Cowboys’ head coach, Jason Garrett, isn’t much of a match for Belichick in terms of strategy or in-game adjustments, but that doesn’t mean Dallas will be an easy out for New England. There’s simply too much talent on Big D’s roster this season for this game to be considered a gimme.

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