The Patriots may look to the Arizona film for a blueprint to beat the Cowboys.
Getting into the Patriots gameplan, the Cardinals gave the Pats a blueprint in their big win last week. Arizona’s formula was limiting the Cowboys to only eight offensive drives with a dominant run game and forcing Dallas into long drives on offense to score. Defensively, the Cardinals had a game plan similar to New England’s against the Jets last Sunday in the Meadowlands.
Arizona played 32 snaps in a base 3-4 defense against Dallas’s under-center formations. By playing heavy personnel, the Cardinals kept the Cowboys from completely gashing them on the ground as they built a lead.