'Protect Your House!' Coach Mike McCarthy Leads Dallas Cowboys Blowout Win Over New England Patriots

The Dallas Cowboys got back in the win column in emphatic fashion on Sunday, pummeling the New England Patriots for a 38-3 victory.

The Dallas Cowboys bounced back in a big way on Sunday, demolishing the New England Patriots for a 38-3 victory that may have been keyed by coach Mike McCarthy's emphasis on the setting.

"You have to win at home in this league,'' McCarthy said after the AT&T Stadium victory. "In this setting ... you have to protect your house.''

Dallas' defense, which looked so dominant in the first two games but very vulnerable in the third, did all of that and returned to peak form on Sunday. The Cowboys only allowed 253 total yards and 10 first downs, completely stifling an anemic Patriots offense.

Additionally, the Cowboys' defense also fed into their offense, scoring three turnovers and returning two for touchdowns. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch had an 11-yard scoop and scored, followed shortly after by a 54-yard pick six by safety DaRon Bland, his first of two interceptions on the day. Dallas already had a league-best +6 turnover differential this season, and after this performance, that honor still belongs to the Cowboys.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch celebrates a scoop-and-score touchdown during Sunday's win over the New England Patriots. 

On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys looked far better than they did a week ago. Dak Prescott had his best game of the season so far, completing 28 of 34 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Jake Ferguson had a game-high 77 yards on seven receptions, while receiver CeeDee Lamb racked up 36 yards and a touchdown on four catches.

On the ground, Dallas had 124 yards on 30 attempts for an average of 4.1 yards per carry. Tony Pollard had 11 carries for 47 yards, but the Cowboys' highlight on the ground came when receiver KaVontae Turpin broke off a 46-yard rush. Although Turpin fumbled on the play, the Cowboys recovered without much issue.

Meanwhile, it was a miserable day for a Patriots squad trying to find its footing. Mac Jones had a dreadful game, completing 12 of 21 passes for 150 yards and two interceptions while getting benched in the third quarter. New England's ground game also struggled, averaging just 2.3 yards per carry as neither Rhamondre Stevenson nor former Cowboy Ezekiel Elliott could get going.

Next up, the Cowboys face a huge test as they travel to face the undefeated San Francisco 49ers in a rematch of last year's playoff loss. 

Said McCarthy, satisfied as he clearly is with the bounce-back: "There's a lot more work to do.''