Patriots dominate Weeden, cruise to blowout in Dallas

*The Cowboys' defensive game plan worked for a while, sacking Tom Brady five times in the first half. And Dallas still lost 30-6 at home to the undefeated Patriots. *

1. This game shows how tough it will be to slow down Brady this season. The Cowboys hit him early and often, buoyed by a big day by Greg Hardy, yet Brady still averaged 10.2 yards-per-attempt. It was a comfortable win because Brady is also getting supported by a strong running game and a defense that gets better every week.

2. Dallas' vaunted offensive line can only do so much, and they hardly looked dominant. The Patriots forced six three-and-outs in the first half, at one point holding the Cowboys without a first down for 25 minutes of game time. The Patriots' defenders darted through the Cowboys' line repeatedly, with excellent free-agent import Jabaal Sheard recording two sacks and two tackles for loss.

3. Dion Lewis completely changes the Patriots' offense. He put up another 93 yards from scrimmage in 14 touches, forcing some of the most comical missed tackles you'll ever see. His one-handed touchdown catch where he made at least three Cowboys defenders miss in the open field was typical of his season. He makes wow plays every week and his recent contract extension looks like an absolute bargain.

4. Greg Hardy and Rolando McClain absolutely change the Cowboys' defense. Hardy had five quarterback hits, two sacks and a tackle for loss in a dominant effort. McClain was very active with eight tackles, two tackles for a loss and a sack. The Cowboys' offense could not stay on the field, but this game showed Dallas' defense is on the upswing.

5. No team is better coming in and out of halftime than the Patriots. It's uncanny how often they end games that way. The Cowboys were only down 10-3 before the Patriots got the ball back with under a minute left in the first half. They drove quickly for a field goal, and had their best drive of the game after halftime for a touchdown. The game was essentially over at that point.

6. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was adamant about not benching Brandon Weeden when asked before halftime. That was Weeden's worst effort; he couldn't figure out where any pressure was coming from. He finished with only 188 yards and a pick on 38 attempts. It wouldn't be a shock if Matt Cassel got the call following their bye next week.