The Dallas Cowboys are back, baby! Okay, not really, but they are still are capable of beating teams playing badly and flat-out bad teams. Just four days after upsetting the Washington Commanders to snap a five-game losing streak the Cowboys returned to the field to take on another division opponent. This time, the New York Giants were up on the schedule and for the first time in seven games, the Cowboys were able to win in Dallas.
A losing streak stretching back to the wild-card game in January, Dallas had also fallen behind by at least 20 points in each contest. But with Drew Lock under center and a clear fixation on the No. 1 draft pick, the Giants offered little resistance, even to a team flying as low as the Cowboys have been.
Dallas extended a three-point halftime lead and turned it into a dominant second half. A late Giants touchdown shrunk the final margin to 27-20, as the Cowboys improve to 5-7 on the season.
The Giants dropped to 2-10 as the Cowboys swept the season series.
QB Cooper Rush turned in another solid, bus-driver performance and was complimented by Rico Dowdle’s first career 100-yard ground game and a second-consecutive strong defensive performance. Edge rusher Micah Parsons chipped in a sack and a half, while LB DeMarvion Overshown continues to develop into a complete weapon.
The second-year Texas product who missed all of his rookie season had a Pick-Six and a fumble recovery, along with seven tackles on the game. Dallas held Lock to a frustrating day after a 70-yard opening touchdown drive.
The Giants managed just 161 yards on offense until their final scoring drive, as they struggled to string together any semblance of rhythm in his first start of the season. The Giants released starting QB Daniel Jones, who cleared waivers and signed with the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday. Last week he was replaced by Tommy DeVito, who was unable to go on Thursday.
The Cowboys are now 2-2 since Dak Prescott was lost for the season with a hamstring injury.
After playing three games in 10 days (Week 11 was a MNF blowout loss to Houston), the Cowboys will now get a mini-bye week before closing out their 2024 schedule. At 5-7 the playoffs isn’t impossible, but it’s an incredibly long shot, as is now the No. 1 overall draft pick.
Dallas’ next opponent will be the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football in Week 14.