The Cowboys still can’t score in the red zone, but sometimes that doesn’t matter. It doesn’t Sunday.
Dallas defense is back, doing what it did to the Giants in Week 1.
The Cowboys have two defensive touchdowns off Mac Jones turnovers, taking a 28-3 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch scored on an 11-yard scoop-and-score after Dante Fowler had a strip-sack of Jones, and cornerback DaRon Bland had a 54-yard interception return of a Jones pass intended for Kendrick Bourne. Bland has moved outside to replace Trevon Diggs, who is out for the year with a torn ACL.
The Cowboys held the Patriots to 154 yards in the first half.
Dallas moved the ball between the 20s, gaining 232 yards, but they still can’t get it in the end zone from inside the 20.
In the first three games, the Cowboys had only six touchdowns in 15 red zone possessions. Only the Bucs, Titans and Texans had a worse success rate than the Cowboys’ 40 percent.
They are 0-for-2 today, with their only offensive touchdown coming from the 20 when Dak Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb on a fade. The Cowboys twice stalled at the New England 5, settling for two 23-yard field goals from Brandon Aubrey.