Each week we hand out our traditional Game Balls (Good
things) and Goats (Not so good) for the game. Honors can be bestowed
upon players, coaches, officials, or just about anything that catches
our attention, good or bad. Ours are listed below, submit
yours using the link at the end.
GAME BALLS
1. Patriots Defense – For just the second time all
year, they held an opponent to under 400 total yards. The
defense held in the red zone on three dives including a crucial late
Holding Dallas to a 3-and-out in their second to last series proved to
be the difference.
2. Andre Carter – Carter made an impact on defense,
beating his blocks to get pressure on Tony Romo from the
outside. He finished with just five tackles,but two
of them were sacks of Tony Romo. The Patriots need more consistent
pressure on the QB and Carter is improving each week.
3. Stephan Gostkowski – The kicker?
Yes. He managed to put the ball in places where the Cowboys
couldn’t mount much of a return. The Patriots kicker had five
kickoffs, three which resulted in touchbacks and two returns averaging
20 yards each. Gostkowski also nailed two clutch field goals
with two extra points.
Honorable Mentions
Tom Brady – another game, another TD
throw. The interceptions were killers, but Brady managed the
team’s final drive well enough to pull out another fourth quarter
comeback.
Wes Welker – that’s 84 games in a row where Welker
has caught a pass. He has the second most receptions in NFL history
(51) through the first 6 games of a season after today’s performance.
Kyle Arrington – Notched his fourth interception of
the year.
GOATS
1. Costly Fumbles – Matthew Slater is
great special team player, but his fumble on a kickoff return killed
New England. Slater had a big hole and an even bigger return going
until that point. Aaron Hernandez’s fumble after a catch deep
in Dallas territory snuffed out an opportunity for New England to
regain the lead, it was 13-13 at late in the game.
2. Costly Interceptions – You could fault
Tom Brady for throwing a pair of passes he shouldn’t have, and you’d be
right. But his fourth quarter comeback absolves him of a full goat
here. Brady’s first pick was a 1st-10 pass intended for Deion Branch at New England’s 24. It led to a Dallas Field Goal (3-3). His
second came in the fourth quarter killing a drive at the Dallas 26.
Dallas scored another field goal to take the lead (16-13).
3. Bad Call – The Patriots were forced to use the
challenge flag again to overturn a call the officials made on Wes
Welker’s second quarter touchdown. Welker broke the plane of the goal
line and should have been caught by the official review on scoring
plays. Because it wasn’t ruled a score, the Patriots had to throw the
challenge. It was the third successful challenge in two games for Bill
Belichick overturning bad calls.
Dishonorable Mentions
Blocking lapses – Matt Light, Logan Mankins, Dan Connolly, Brian Waters and Nate Solder were all beaten throughout the
game. Cowboys’ defenders were able to hit Tom Brady 8 times and sack
him 3 others.
Pat Chung and Gary Guyton – Both players
played well at other times, but this is for getting completely faked
out of their shoes by Dez Bryant when they had him pinned against the
sideline.
Lack of Crowd Noise – Loads of Cowboys
fans. Stadium not overly loud at crucial points in the game.
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