Can New England Patriots Finally Beat Elite Quarterback in Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott?

The New England Patriots face Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, hoping to beat finally beat a playoff team with a healthy No. 1 quarterback.

The New England Patriots can not only even their record with a signature win Sunday in Arlington. They can fill nagging holes on their recent resume by finally beating a playoff team with an elite quarterback.

The Pats enter as 7-point underdogs to the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Given their pratfalls against great teams with good quarterbacks, however, it feels like even longer odds.

No way around the harsh truths:

The Pats haven't "upset" a playoff contender since beating the Buffalo Bills in that memorable, wind-ravaged game in December 2021. Furthermore, since Tom Brady left after the 2019 season they have only four wins over playoff teams. Including on that short list is Miami last year. They beat the Dolphins in Week 17, but it came against third-string quarterback Skyler Thompson after Tua Tagovailoa wasn't in uniform and Teddy Bridgewater suffered an in-game injury.

Beating top quarterbacks has also been a task too tall. In the past two seasons the Patriots have proven they can handle Zach Wilson of the New York Jets (three times). But against healthy, projected No. 1 quarterbacks, New England was a revolting 1-9 last year and is 0-2 this season with losses to the Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts and Miami's Tua.

The Patriots face the Cowboys' Dak Prescott Sunday, having beaten only one No. 1 quarterback since the start of the 2022 season

The lone "elite" win in 2022 came against the Detroit Lions' Jared Goff, in a game started by Pats' backup quarterback Bailey Zappe. The losses came against Tua (Dolphins), Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Justin Fields (Bears), Kirk Cousins (Vikings), Derek Carr (Raiders), Joe Burrow (Bengals) and Josh Allen (Bills) twice. Their other seven victories? Over Mitch Trubisky (Steelers), Jacoby Brissett (Browns), Wilson (Jets) twice, Sam Ehlinger (Colts), Colt McCoy (Cardinals) and Teddy Bridgewater/Skylar Thompson (Dolphins).

The Cowboys haven't been to a Super Bowl in more than quarter-century, and Dak Prescott last season threw a league-high 17 interceptions in 14 starts. Nonetheless, a win Sunday would be the long-sought feather in New England's cap.

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