National Football League

Patriots-Cowboys Capsule

Published Oct. 8, 2015 10:54 a.m. ET

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NEW ENGLAND (3-0) at DALLAS (2-2)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS

OPENING LINE - Patriots by 8 1-2

RECORD VS SPREAD - Patriots 2-0-1, Cowboys 2-2

SERIES RECORD - Cowboys lead 7-4

LAST MEETING - Patriots beat Cowboys, 20-16, Oct. 16, 2011

LAST WEEK - Patriots bye, beat Jaguars 51-17 on Sept. 27; Cowboys lost to Saints 26-20, OT

AP PRO32 RANKING - Patriots No. 1, Cowboys No. 15

PATRIOTS OFFENSE - OVERALL (1), RUSH (27), PASS (1)

PATRIOTS DEFENSE - OVERALL (20), RUSH (23), PASS (18)

COWBOYS OFFENSE - OVERALL (11), RUSH (16), PASS (8)

COWBOYS DEFENSE - OVERALL (14), RUSH (9), PASS (19)

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Patriots have won past four in series after Cowboys won first seven from 1971-96. ... Patriots making first visit to Cowboys' $1.2 billion stadium that opened in 2009. New England's last visit to Dallas was 2007. ... Patriots are averaging 37.8 point per game during six-game winning streak that includes playoffs last season. ... Patriots are NFL-best 45-16 in October since 2000 and 15-11 after bye. ... Tom Brady is second QB in NFL history to throw for at least 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns without interception in first three games (Peyton Manning). ... Brady trying to join Manning and Fran Tarkenton as only NFL quarterbacks to start season 4-0 at least four times. ... TE Rob Gronkowski has 10 TDs in past nine games, including playoffs. He has passed injured Dallas WR Dez Bryant and leads NFL with 58 TD catches since 2010. ... LB Jamie Collins has 7 1-2 sacks in past eight games, and DE Chandler Jones has 6 1-2 in same span. ... Logan Ryan is third among AFC cornerbacks with eight interceptions since 2013. ... Cowboys coach Jason Garrett needs one win to tie Jimmy Johnson for second on franchise career list with 44. Tom Landry had 250. ... QB Brandon Weeden makes third start for Tony Romo (broken left collarbone). He is 45 of 59 for 551 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. ... With his 136th consecutive start, TE Jason Witten will break tie with DL Bob Lilly and LB D.D. Lewis for third on franchise list. Leaders are LB Lee Roy Jordan (154) and DB Cornell Green (145). ... DE Greg Hardy makes Dallas debut after four-game suspension for role in domestic violence case. It's his first game since 2014 opener with Carolina. ... In past nine games against AFC teams, LB Sean Lee has 80 tackles and five interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns. He also has fumble recovery. His status is unknown this week because of concussion sustained against Saints. ... Cowboys matched total from first three games with three sacks against Saints, including one each for DEs Jack Crawford and DeMarcus Lawrence. ... Fantasy Tip: Patriots RB LeGarrette Blount had three rushing TDs in last game against Jacksonville, his career high in regular season. Cowboys gave up three to Atlanta's Devonta Freeman in last home game.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL