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IRVING, Texas -- The comparisons started from the moment fifth-round pick Danny Coale was drafted.

Wes Welker of the New England Patriots is a speedy receiver who does damage from the slot. In four of his five seasons in New England, Welker has gained at least 1,000 receiving yards. Last year, Welker caught 122 passes for 1,569 yards and nine touchdowns.

"It’s nice to be mentioned in the same sentence as him, but at the same time he’s Wes Welker for a reason," said Coale, who finished his career at Virginia Tech second in receptions and receiving yards. "He's been there and he's done it and I haven’t. I'm nowhere near that level of play. I hope some day I can have a sliver of success as he's had. He's an incredible player and I admire his style of play. The way he plays the position, he's someone I try to be like."

Coale will compete with Andre Holmes, Dwayne Harris, Kevin Ogletree and Raymond Radway for three roster spots at wideout behind Miles Austin and Dez Bryant.

The annual NFL scouting combine starts today and Cowboys officials arrived in Indianapolis on Tuesday.

Here's a primer on what might or should happen for the Dallas Cowboys the next few days.

The Cowboys will talk to a quarterback: Last year the Cowboys spoke with then-Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. It didn't mean the Cowboys were going to draft him, Newton went No. 1 overall, but it was more about the team doing their due diligence. This year don't be surprised to see the Cowboys speak with Robert Griffin III or Andrew Luck, considered the top quarterbacks in the draft. The Cowboys still believe in Tony Romo, yet have to think about the future. Cowboys could draft a quarterback in the later rounds and speaking to Brandon Weeden of Oklahoma State is a possibility. Cowboys officials believe Weeden is a good fit, bur are concerned about his age, turns 29 in October.

Taking on the free agents: The biggest free agents the Cowboys must address from their own roster are Anthony Spencer, Mat McBriar, Abram Elam and Laurent Robinson. The Cowboys could franchise Spencer, which costs a projected $8.8 million, but nothing has been decided. Spencer's agent, Roosevelt Barnes doesn't have any meetings scheduled with the Cowboys. Robinson developed into a talented and reliable receiver. But Wes Welker, Vincent Jackson, DeSean Jackson and Marques Colston will command more money and attention from teams. Elam doesn't have an agent and it's uncertain if the Cowboys will bring him back. McBriar is expected to recover from leg surgery and the team most likely will give him a new contract.

What's up with the salary cap? Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones praised his son, team executive vice president Stephen Jones, with taking care of the finances in terms of releasing several veterans, restructuring contracts to clear up $12.5 million. That number could increase to as much as $20 million with more veteran departures such as Terence Newman, Kenyon Coleman and Kyle Kosier. Cowboys might talk to the agents of several players asking to restructure deals to clear up space on the cap.

Who the Cowboys target at No. 14: Everybody. The Cowboys will begin the process of meeting players individually in Indy, schedule more meetings at Valley Ranch and of course prepare to visit Pro Days. If the Cowboys visit Stanford for the its Pro Day, it doesn't mean they want Luck. Guard David DeCastro is projected as the best interior linemen in the draft. If Jason Garrett visits Stanford's Pro Day, it could mean DeCastro is targeted. Garrett went to one Pro Day last spring, Tyron Smith's at USC.

Here's five other players the Cowboys might pick with the 14th overall pick: Courtney Upshaw, Alabama, OLB; Mark Barron, Alabama, S; Melvin Ingram, South Carolina, DE; Dontari Poe, Memphis, NT; Cordy Glenn, Georgia, G.

This is the third in a 12-part series on the Cowboys roster.

Players: Miles Austin (signed through 2016), Dez Bryant (signed through 2014), Laurent Robinson (unrestricted free agent), Kevin Ogletree (restricted free agent), Dwayne Harris (signed through 2014), Andre Holmes (signed through 2013), Raymond Radway (signed through 2013), Teddy Williams (reserves/future contract)

Top free agents: Wes Welker, New England Patriots; Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints; DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles; Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers; Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs.

Top draft prospects: Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State; Michael Floyd, Notre Dame; Kendall Wright, Baylor; Alshon Jeffrey, South Carolina; Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers.

2011 review: Robinson, who was signed in early September after being cut by the Chargers, ended up being the Cowboys’ most effective receiver. It took an injury to Austin and ineffectiveness by Ogletree for Robinson to get a significant role, but he led the Cowboys with 11 touchdown catches and was second among the team’s wideouts in catches (54) and receiving yards (858). Bryant didn’t have a 100-yard game all season, but he made significant progress, finishing his second year with 63 catches for 928 yards and nine touchdowns. Austin was a disappointment in the second year of a $54 million contract. He missed six games due to two hamstring strains, finishing the season with only 43 catches for 579 yards and seven touchdowns.

Offseason preview: The Cowboys’ biggest decision regarding the receiving corps will be whether to re-sign Robinson. He’s made it clear that he wants to return to Valley Ranch and has indicated that the Cowboys wouldn’t necessarily have to be the top bidders to keep him. What the Cowboys would be willing to pay for a No. 3 receiver who has proven he can be a quality fill-in starter isn’t clear. If the Cowboys don’t re-sign Robinson, they’ll need to find another third receiver, whether it’s in the draft or another free-agency bargain.

Bryan Broaddus’ Scout’s Eye: The Cowboys will be set at starters with Austin and Bryant. The biggest question will be if the club makes the effort to try and re-sign Robinson or if it allows him to leave via free agency. I would not be surprised if the front office allows Robinson to walk. If that is the case, then his numbers will need to be replaced. Let's be honest, Ogletree can't do the job as the third receiver. Ogletree has been given every opportunity to step up and take that job, but he can't do it. If not Robinson or Ogletree, there is Holley, Harris, Radway and Holmes. Holley had some productive snaps but mainly on special teams. Harris was off and on the practice squad. Radway is an interesting player because if he didn't get injured on the last play of the preseason game against the Dolphins, there was a great chance he was going to make the roster. The plan will be to try and find another Robinson in free agency with the available receivers. I don't see them using a high pick on a receiver but taking the approach of looking at a height-weight-speed player later.

Need meter (0-5): 2

ARLINGTON, Texas -- After Dallas' 20-19 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving Day, Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick was asked about the Dolphins receivers.

Scandrick is of the belief that Miami's Davone Bess is a better slot receiver than New England's Wes Welker.

On Oct. 16 against the Cowboys, Welker, covered mainly by Scandrick, finished with six catches for 45 yards and one touchdown. Scandrick covered Welker on the touchdown reception.

Thursday, Bess finished with just two catches for 29 yards, one of which was a 24-yarder. But the receiver must have made an impression on Scandrick.

"Davone Bess is better than Wes Welker," Scandrick said. "Better than Wes Welker. Better than Wes Welker. Stronger, little bigger in the lower body. He’s better, he’s faster than you think he is, stronger than you think he is in a different system, and I’ve been covering him since he was at the University of Hawaii."

Scandrick played college ball at Boise State.

It's an interesting comment from Scandrick, considering Welker's numbers far surpass those of Bess.

Scandrick has struggled the last two weeks in coverage, but the coaching staff believes he's still a good cover corner.

IRVING, Texas – Orlando Scandrick’s performance might have been the most encouraging thing about the Dallas defense’s impressive effort against the Patriots.

In his first full game after signing a five-year, $27 million deal, Scandrick looked like he was worth the money.

Wes Welker had his least productive game of the season with Scandrick spearheading the coverage against the on-record-pace Patriots wideout. Welker, who averaged nine catches for 148 yards in New England’s first five games, had six catches for 45 yards and a score.

“It’s not so much what I did,” said Scandrick, who had been sidelined since the first quarter of the season opener with a high ankle sprain. “We had a great scheme in place, and I just executed the scheme. I had other people helping me. It shows what I can do week in and week out if I stay focused and put my mind to it.”

It’s proof that Scandrick fits as well in Rob Ryan’s scheme as the Cowboys believed he would when they paid their third corner starter money.

IRVING -- Let's finish out the Cowboys loss to the Patriots before moving on to St. Louis in our weekly Beat Writers recap.

*We're not sure if Bradie James is the same player he was two years ago, or maybe three years ago, but it's clear he's not as productive sharing snaps with Keith Brooking at inside linebacker. On Sunday, James, starting with Sean Lee, finished with one tackle, but also forced a fumble. He's led the team in tackles six consecutive seasons, something that will probably end this year. James isn't very good in pass coverage, it's why he comes off the field, yet he's good vs. the run. For whatever reason he's not getting to ball carriers, whether that's the scheme or declining play, it doesn't bode well for a possible return in 2012.

*The Cowboys went 1-3 in the red zone vs. the Patriots last Sunday and you just have to wonder who does Tony Romo throw the ball to down there. According to ESPN Stats and Information, Romo has targeted nine different players in the red zone in 2011. Miles Austin leads the team with six targets, but he's got only two catches and one touchdown. Jason Witten, the leading receiver with 31 catches for 414 yards, has been targeted just four times but he's got two scores in that area. Dez Bryant is also targeted four times, and he's got two catches. If the Cowboys do pass in this area, Austin, Witten and Bryant should be the main targets. The run game has struggled down there, but if you're going to pass make sure Austin, Witten and Bryant get the ball somehow.

*After watching Dwayne Harris return punts on Sunday, averaged 1.5 a return, it's probably time to move on from him and give Dez Bryant a shot. If you're worried about Bryant's health, don't. Did you see how he juked by two defenders along the Cowboys' sideline on Sunday? Bryant is at his best when he's freelancing with the ball. On punt returns you need to setup your blocks, Patrick Crayton was good at this, but Bryant's speed and ability to find holes might drive special teams coach Joe DeCamillis nuts, but Bryant is a playmaker that needs the ball in his hands. He did get hurt on a punt return when he got hit on the thigh, but you can't play football without some risks.

*The individual numbers suggest the Cowboys running backs were terrible vs. the Patriots. Demarco Murray averaged 3.2 yards per carry, Felix Jones, 1.8 yards per carry and Tashard Choice at 2.8 yards per carry. But the trio were doing some dancing in the backfield. Numerous times Jones, especially, was looking for room and slipped some tacklers. The offensive line needs to take some of the blame for the 3.2 average on Sunday. The running backs ran hard but didn't find much space to do anything.

*Give Orlando Scandrick credit for holding Wes Welker for most of the day. He was physical and showed great technique in holding the Patriots leading receiver to six catches for 45 yards and one touchdown. Scandrick didn't appear to have any issues from a high ankle sprain that kept him out three weeks.

*Retired referee Red Cashion was the Replay Official in Sunday's game. ... The Cowboys have used the two tight-end set 218 times and averaged 9.3 yards per play on it. ... Did you really miss David Buehler on Sunday? ... Romo was sacked twice on Sunday but the one Doug Free allowed might have been a coverage sack more than anything else.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England wide receiver Wes Welker came into Sunday’s game averaging nine catches for 148 yards and a touchdown per game.

He was “held” to three catches and 103 yards below his average but he still managed a touchdown.

“I knew it was going to be a challenge,” Scandrick said. “He’s not one of those guys where you watch film and know what he runs because all of his routes have second options between him and Tom [Brady]. I felt like I did well. I don’t know what the stats was on him, but I feel like I did well.”

Scandrick missed the previous three games because of a high ankle sprain suffered in the season opener. Sunday marked the first time the Cowboys’ top three corners – Scandrick, Mike Jenkins and Terence Newman – played in the same game

“I’m good,” Scandrick said of his ankle. “I feel great. No pain.”

IRVING, Texas – For the second consecutive game, the Cowboys are preparing to play a wide receiver on pace to break major NFL records.

So, what does Rob Ryan think of New England’s Wes Welker?

“I’m afraid to comment on wideouts. Apparently, I don’t know anything,” Ryan said, a sarcastic reference to the criticism that came his way for claiming that the Cowboys had two receivers better than Detroit’s Calvin Johnson. “All I know this guy is great. He catches every pass there is. He’s leading the league in yardage, catches, he’s great in the red zone, he’s a great competitor. I’ll leave it at that.

“I know one thing, he’s damn good and he gets a million throws from Brady.”

With 45 receptions for 740 yards in five games, Welker is on pace to break the league’s record for catches and receiving yards in a season.

Johnson is on pace to shatter the touchdowns record with nine so far this season, including a couple in the fourth quarter of the Lions’ comeback win over the Cowboys.

Of course, Ryan noted that Dez Bryant also caught two touchdowns in that game, so he’s not backing down from his statement. He’s just more concerned with figuring out a way to slow down Welker and the Patriots’ other playmakers.

If you believe in fate and are a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, here is something that maybe you can hang your hat on. The last time defensive coordinator Rob Ryan had a week off to prepare for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, his Cleveland Browns walked away with an impressive 34-14 victory in 2010.

Cowboys defense vs. Patriots offense

Ryan's defense has played outstanding through the first four weeks of the season, but the task ahead is different from any of those that you generally face during an NFL season. When you play an elite quarterback such as Tom Brady, the amount of pressure he puts on you is greater than when you face Mark Sanchez, Alex Smith or even Matthew Stafford.

Mistakes in assignments are magnified when you play against Brady because of his ability to read defensive schemes and take advantage of the situation by adjusting his protection and moving his personnel to attack the void. In the NFL, it's all about the matchups, how you create them and then take advantage of the ones in your favor.

The Patriots take advantage of match-ups better than any other team in the league. When you study the Patriots, it's about "scheme fits." It's not only about a player like Wes Welker. You also have to be wary of tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, and running backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead as well.

The Patriots create match-up problems for a defense because there is so much flexibility where their skill players can line up in the formation. Rarely do you see the Patriots use the same formation early in the game, because this exposes your game plan defensively. Once Brady has an idea of how you are going to defend the offense, then he goes to work.

Patriots WR Wes Welker vs. Cowboys secondary

It's interesting to watch the Patriots on offense because they no longer have a straight vertical threat like Randy Moss. Instead they use Welker, Gronkowski and Hernandez all over the field. Welker is a crafty route-runner, but maybe his greatest strength is his ability to read coverages and react to what the defense is doing to him. When Welker's on the move, you can see his eyes looking at the secondary and plotting where he will take his route.

Brady has a tremendous understanding of where Welker is going to be in his route to deal with the coverage. With the Patriots, you will see several routes down the field that are crossing routes. The Patriots like to take routes through zone coverage, running to open spaces -- which is effective against teams that like to play Cover 2.

Last week, the Jets were able to match Darrelle Revis against Welker, who really struggled to generate any type of separation or space. Revis was physical off the line but, more importantly, he was able to carry Welker all over the field. The Cowboys will get an important piece of their secondary back this week when cornerback Orlando Scandrick returns from a high ankle sprain.

I have always viewed Scandrick as one of the Cowboys' best cover men. To play slot corner, you have to play with a great deal of quickness but, more importantly, you have to have the understanding of what types of routes that the man you are covering might run. Scandrick will have to be prepared to play a ton of snaps, so his conditioning will be tested. In what we have been allowed to see during practices, he looked explosive and confident that the ankle sprain is behind him.

Patriots tight ends are more like WRs

Earlier I mentioned that you have to be wary of Patriots tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, and there was a reason for this. Neither one of these guys plays like a true tight end. Rather, they're more like 255-pound wide receivers that can get down the field. Both Gronkowski and Hernandez are vertical players that run well, but their most impressive trait is their ability to catch the ball.

The Cowboys have done a nice job against some outstanding tight ends this season, but Gronkowski and Hernandez present a different challenge because you see them down the field in combination routes with the receivers. Brady might look to Welker first, but I've seen him throw to Gronkowski and Hernandez in coverage and still they managed to come up with the ball.

Achilles' heel of Patriots offense: RT Nate Solder

If you are looking for a weakness on the Patriots offense, it is rookie right tackle Nate Solder, who has had to start because Sebastian Vollmar has been dealing with a back injury. Solder looks very similar to what I had seen on college tape before the draft. He's not very strong and, for someone that is a good foot athlete, he struggles with rushers off the edge.

Two weeks ago, the Cowboys didn’t take advantage of the Detroit Lions' poor pass blockers. The Patriots' O-line is much better on both run and pass, but it will struggle at times when teams run games on them with movement in the passing game. If Rob Ryan is going to get pressure on Brady, this will most likely be the route that he tries to go.

Cowboys offense vs. Patriots defense

When you study the Patriots on defense, the one area that jumps out at you is how much space their secondary gives up in routes. I didn't see the tightness in the coverage that I have seen with other defenses that the Cowboys have faced so far this season.

Earlier in the season, the Patriots played a great deal of man coverage but with little success. Now you see them playing much more zone. Another area where the Patriots have struggled is their inability to rush the passer. New England doesn't have that dynamic pressure player coming off the edge. Defensive ends Andre Carter and Shaun Ellis are veterans, but they don’t rush the passer like a Brian Orakpo or Kyle Vanden Bosch.

Patriots' defensive force: Vince Wilfork

The strength of this Patriots defense is up the middle with defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, who is one of the more dominate players in this league. For a man his size, Wilfork moves very well. He is not one of those tackles that sits in a spot and just anchors down. He is very active -- not only in his pass rush, but also his ability to play the run right at him or working down the line. Kyle Kosier, Phil Costa and Bill Nagy had to deal with the inside power and the push that the Lions' Ndamukong Suh and Corey Williams were able to get. To the credit of the Cowboys' inside three, however, they were able to hold up the majority of the time. Wilfork has power, but he has pass rush technique.

Breaking down the Patriots' defense

On the other side, Albert Haynesworth will see action. But also be aware of second-year player Kyle Love, who is a much lighter and more mobile player. When the Patriots' defensive line tries to get pressure, it’s usually by using twist stunts. They will also use blitzes from the secondary -- twice using a slot blitz vs. the Jets and a straight corner blitz against the Raiders.

Linebackers Jarod Mayo and Brandon Spikes are very active. Both really try to play downhill and attack the ball. They like to give you a tight look with one of the linebackers at the line, drop him, then fire the one from the other side. Where this group had some trouble was when the Jets went with an empty formation and it caused some confusion.

Also watch passing plays on the outside against this defense. The Buffalo Bills were able to work their screen packages but were also able to make plays in the flat with their running backs catching the ball against these linebackers.

Another potential target spot: Patriots safety

Another potential weakness for the Patriots is at safety. Starter Josh Barrett has been banged up, as has Patrick Chung. The Patriots have been trying to make do with Sergio Brown, who tends to misplay the ball in flight and is a poor tackler. James Ihedigbo is a better player when he can react to the ball in front of him. It will be interesting to see if the Cowboys can take advantage of this defense.

Five-star question: Will the Patriots tie the NFL record of 14 consecutive games with at least 30 points this week?

Rob Ryan may be a tad arrogant, but he remains an intelligent football man.

He knows Tom Brady has been studying video of the Browns' win over New England last season, when Ryan orchestrated the last defense to hold New England under 30 points.

He knows that game plan won't work again.

So, yes, the Patriots are going to set a new NFL record this week.

Since Ryan's defense shut them down, the Patriots have torched Pittsburgh, Chicago, Green Bay, San Diego and the New York Jets for more than 30 points.

Let's be honest, each of those units is better than the Cowboys.

Maybe, the Cowboys will stop them for a little while like they did against Detroit and quarterback Matt Stafford. But once Brady finds a rhythm, it's over.

The biggest problem for the Cowboys is who's going to cover Wes Welker because New England always finds a way to get him the ball and he's the ultimate chain move. Darrelle Revis took him last week, and the Jets still couldn't slow him down.

There are no Revis clones in the Cowboys' secondary.

Five-star question: Will the Patriots tie the NFL record of 14 consecutive games with at least 30 points this week?

I think the Patriots’ run comes to an end this week, but not by much since I predicted a 28-24 Patriots’ victory.

Some of it will have to do with Rob Ryan’s defense against Tom Brady. Some of it will have to do with how much the Cowboys control the ball. Some of it will have to do with all good things coming to an end.

The last time New England did not score 30 points came against Ryan’s defense in Cleveland. They held the Patriots to 14 points in Week 9 last year. Having worked in New England as an assistant coach, Ryan has an understanding of what the Patriots and Brady like to do.

And I’m sure some phone calls will be made to the New York Jets as well with Ryan picking the brain of his brother, Rex.

The Cowboys will have their top three cornerbacks available to them for the first time this season with the return of Orlando Scandrick from an ankle injury. That will give Ryan some flexibility to be creative with his coverages that he was not able to do in the first four games.

The key, however, will be pressure on Brady. Bill Belichick said DeMarcus Ware is the best player the Patriots have seen this season, but New England’s offensive line will be the best the Cowboys have seen this season. Brady has been sacked eight times and is averaging 9.56 yards per attempt. He is deadly with time to throw to Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Deion Branch.

He’ll be deadly again Sunday; just not enough to score 30.

IRVING, Texas -- Jason Garrett was a teammate of Wes Welker’s in Miami and also an assistant coach for two years when Welker was just revving up with the Dolphins.

Garrett is not surprised to see what Welker has become in New England and now he has to hope his defense can stop the NFL’s leading receiver, who has 45 catches for 740 yards and five scores in five games, on Sunday.

“You should watch Wes Welker in practice,” Garrett said. “And I think anybody, if you came from Mars and never saw football before, you’d say, ‘Wow, who is that guy?’ Because he is 100 miles per hour for every minute of every day. And his success is not by accident. He is a very talented player. Because he is small doesn’t mean he’s not talented. He is talented. He’s quick. He’s fast. He understands the game but he is a relentless competitor. And he’s, maybe as much as anybody I have been around, he’s able to take that tempo in how he practices to the game field.”

Welker credited his work with Garrett on Miami’s scout team as a big part of his success.

“His last year in Miami he was the scout team quarterback, I was the scout team receiver and then becoming a coach he always instilled a lot of confidence in us,” Welker said. “I remember one time I sat there and told him, ‘Jason, I think I can get them on this or that route or whatever and he said ‘Wes, you know what, you can get them on any route. It’s just great to hear that confidence from a coach and that edge. In my mind I thought, ‘You’re right.’”

IRVING, Texas – With New England on the docket for the Cowboys we open up The Other Side with a visit from ESPNBoston’s Mike Reiss.

Archer - Is there anything that rattles Tom Brady? Will he ever lose a home regular-season game again?

Reiss - In reporting on Brady’s career since his arrival in 2000, I’m not sure I’ve seen him play better. You’d think at 34 years old, maybe he’s hitting the point of his career where things start to spiral downward, but it’s been the opposite. Still, there are things that rattle any quarterback and Brady is no different in that regard – a solid pass rush that delivers some early shots in games has knocked him off rhythm. We saw it in the preseason game against the Lions, when the ability to get to Brady with the standard four rushers paralyzed the passing offense. We saw it last year when Rob Ryan’s Cleveland Browns defense had Brady enduring a long day. So it’s not like he’s Superman, but he’s clearly still one of the NFL’s best. You’ll have to be at your best to beat him. His last regular-season home loss was back in 2006 to Eric Mangini’s Jets, and Rob Ryan is one of Mangini’s closest friends. They obviously shared notes while coaching together with the Browns, and that should help this week.

Archer - How is Wes Welker doing this? I didn't like his yard-per-catch last year, but is he a different guy a year off the ACL?

Reiss - Maybe the biggest misconception in the NFL is that Welker is a great slot receiver. He’s simply a great receiver. The latest evidence came Sunday with his 73-yard reception in which his presence, route-running and sure hands contributed to Darrelle Revis and Eric Smith miscommunicating in a key play in the game. They don’t come any better than Revis, but there aren’t many receivers playing better than Welker. As for how he’s doing this, let’s start with the quarterback throwing him the football. There is a special chemistry between Tom Brady and Welker. Combine that with an offensive system that brings out the best in Welker, and it’s an explosive match. Welker had a great offseason training in Florida and said he feels like he’s in the best shape of his career. He’s absolutely a different player this year; in 2010, he was among the league leaders in dropped passes and didn’t have the same quickness. Welker is in the last year of his contract and, while he’s 30 years old, he’s positioning himself for a big pay day, or at the least, a lucrative franchise tag.

Archer - The defense was much better vs. the Jets, but is there a worry about the unit holding up its end of the bargain?

Reiss - Yes, this is the area that you look at and say, “Can the Patriots reach their ultimate goal with this unit?” They have given up a lot of yards this year, but strong red-zone play has limited the damage. They are playing without one of their elite talents in linebacker Jerod Mayo, who is expected to miss extended time with a knee injury sustained Oct. 2 in Oakland. As for the Jets game, it was a step in the right direction, but I think context is important. The Jets hardly tested the pass defense and I felt their ground-and-pound plan with played into the Patriots’ hands. The Patriots can play physical when in their base defense, but to me, they’ve yet to prove they can consistently stop the opposition in sub packages. The pass rush is spotty and the secondary has been shaky at times. If I’m an offensive coordinator preparing to face this unit, I like my chances of moving the ball, and know that the key is going to be avoiding turnovers and dialing up some creative stuff out of spread packages in the red-zone.

Archer - How hands on his Bill Belichick with this team? Does he trust his assistants, like he did Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel?

Reiss - This is one of the things that stands out about Belichick – he has his fingerprints on every part of the roster. You talk to veteran players and that’s one of the things they say, “He knows a lot about every position, and he’ll get right in there with us in meetings and on the field.” Belichick’s reach extends beyond coaching; he also handles personnel and the salary cap. I have no doubt that Belichick trusts his assistants, although one of the areas I think could help the team going forward is being more open to different concepts/ideas and I think we’ve seen some small steps in that direction this year in terms of some of the personnel they’ve brought in (e.g. 4-3 defensive ends Andre Carter and Mark Anderson probably aren’t in the plans at this time last year). I think they’ve been a little slow defensively to adjust to the changing NFL game.

Archer - Cowboys fans remember strength and conditioning coach Mike Woicik from the 1990s, but the lockout kept the players from working with him last offseason in his return to Dallas. How much did he benefit the Patriots from his years with the team?

Reiss - I think Woicik did a great job with the Patriots, and that opinion is formed from speaking with players over the years who felt their performance was elevated by working in Woicik’s program. You go back to Bill Belichick being hired as head coach in 2000 and one of his first decisions was to bring Woicik aboard. That speaks volumes.

IRVING, Texas – Orlando Scandrick certainly won’t get an opportunity to ease his way back from an injury.

New England’s Wes Welker will welcome Scandrick when the Cowboys’ slot corner makes his comeback Sunday after missing three games with a high ankle sprain.

“It’s a huge challenge,” Scandrick said after practicing Monday for the first time since being injured in the season opener. “They said today he’s on pace for 2,600 yards or something crazy, but going into this game, I’m going to make him work. We’re going to see what happens. It’s going to be a great challenge.”

Actually, Welker is only on pace for 2,368 receiving yards this season. That, of course, would shatter Hall of Famer Jerry Rice’s NFL record by more than 500 yards.

Another way of putting Welker’s ridiculous production in perspective: He has more yards in five games (740) than Dez Bryant has in 15 career games (732).

“You should watch Wes Welker in practice,” said Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, who was the quarterbacks coach in Miami during Welker’s tenure with the Dolphins. “I think anybody, if you came from Mars and never saw football before, you’d say, ‘Wow, who’s that guy?’ Because he is 100 miles per hour every minute of every day. His success is not by accident.

“He’s a very talented player. Just because he’s small doesn’t mean he’s not talented. He is talented. He’s quick, he’s fast, he understands the game. He is a relentless competitor.”

Welker has been a chain-moving machine since he joined the Patriots in 2007, catching 432 passes for 4,536 yards over the previous four seasons. He’s become much more of a big-play threat this season, averaging 16.4 yards per catch, more than five yards better than his career average.

That average has been boosted by a 99-yard touchdown in Week 1 against the Dolphins and a critical 73-yard catch in last week’s win over the Jets.

“This is the first time he’s pretty much started running vertical,” Scandrick said. “A lot of people don’t expect him to run vertical, so when he runs vertical, it’s normally a big play.”

The challenge for Scandrick is to chip off the rust and be ready to compete against the league’s most productive receiver.

Randy Moss warned the Cowboys. He vowed that he’d make them pay every time he played Dallas if Jerry Jones didn’t draft him.

Moss has been a man of his word, torching the Cowboys for 734 yards and 11 touchdowns in seven games, including one playoff meeting. The Cowboys are 0-7 against arguably the greatest receiver since Jerry Rice.

“I’m sorry that we have to play him again,” Jones said after Moss was traded last week to the Vikings, the Cowboys’ opponent Sunday in a playoff rematch/potential elimination game.

A quick look at each of Moss’ performances against the Cowboys:

Vikings 46, Cowboys 36 (Nov. 26, 1998): The rookie made the most of his opportunities during a Thanksgiving shootout. He caught only three passes, scoring on touchdowns of 51, 56 and 56 yards. He also drew a 50-yard pass interference penalty. Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders sat out with a sprained big toe, leaving past-his-prime Kevin Smith and the forgettable Kenny Wheaton to try to cover Moss. Troy Aikman’s 455 passing yards weren’t enough to keep up with a Minnesota team on its way to the NFL scoring record.

Vikings 27, Cowboys 17 (Nov. 8, 1999): Moss caught six passes for 91 yards and two touchdowns, playing the starring role as the Vikings rallied from a 17-0 deficit. The Cowboys had no offensive firepower after Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman were knocked out of the game by midway through the third quarter.

Vikings 27, Cowboys 10 (Jan. 9, 2000): Moss caught five passes for 127 yards and a touchdown despite consistent double-teams in the NFC Wild Card Game, which was Chan Gailey’s not-so-grand finale as the Cowboys’ head coach. Moss’ 58-yard touchdown on a bomb in the final minute of the first half gave the Vikings the lead for good.

Vikings 27, Cowboys 15 (Nov. 23, 2000): Moss ruined another Thanksgiving at Texas Stadium, catching seven passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns. "I just try to go out there and make it happen," Moss said after the game, "but I do like to show them that they did mess up on draft day."

Vikings 35, Cowboys 17 (Sept. 12, 2004): The Cowboys made Moss the primary focus of his game plan, holding Moss to four catches for 27 yards in the season opener. He still scored two touchdowns. And Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper threw for five TDs, the most against the Cowboys in 35 years.

Raiders 19, Cowboys 13 (Oct. 2, 2005): This is the only time Moss failed to get in the end zone against the Cowboys, but he caught four passes for 123 yards. It was one of five 100-yard games for Moss during his disappointing two-year tenure in Oakland.

Patriots 48, Cowboys 27 (Oct. 14, 2007): After all the hype about the “Other 81,” as Terrell Owens referred to Moss in a note to reporters taped to his Valley Ranch locker that week, it was Wes Welker (11-124-2) and Dante Stallworth (7-136-1) who really killed the Cowboys. Moss contributed six catches for 59 yards and a touchdown for the Patriots, who would break the 1998 Vikings’ scoring record.