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          New England Patriots

          3 up, 3 down for the Patriots

          • Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff WriterOct 16, 2011, 08:51 PM ET
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              Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. You can follow Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReiss.
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          FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Three players whose performance stood out and three players whose performance was at the opposite end of the spectrum based on an initial reaction from the Patriots' 20-16 win over the Cowboys:

          Up

          Andre Carter -- Defensive end finishes with five tackles and two sacks. His third-quarter sack is one of the key plays in the game, coming on second-and-goal from the 7 and forcing the Cowboys to settle for a field goal.

          Brandon Spikes -- Linebacker plays in base and sub defenses and finishes with eight tackles and one quarterback hit. His biggest tackle comes in the fourth quarter on a shovel pass to Tashard Choice for a 3-yard loss on third-and-5, which forces a field goal.

          Gerard Warren -- Veteran defensive lineman makes an early impact, dropping Choice for a 3-yard loss, recovering a fumble, and drawing a holding penalty. His performance contributes to an overall solid day for the defense.

          Down

          Devin McCourty -- Cornerback is struggling to find his Pro Bowl form. Normally a sure tackler, he has trouble with Laurent Robinson along the sideline on one play, giving up yards after the catch on a 32-yard gain. Overall, his coverage isn't as tight as we've seen in the past.

          Matthew Slater -- Loses a fumble on a first-quarter kickoff return.

          Nate Solder & pass protection -- Rookie right tackle is penalized for holding on a run play in the second quarter, contributing to a drive stalling in the red zone. Overall, the Cowboys win the battle at the line of scrimmage.