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Do not look, Cowboy fans. Three weeks into the season, Dallas and the New York Giants share the NFC East basement at 1-2.
Something has to give Thursday evening when the long-time rivals meet at the Meadowlands.
Dallas trailed the visiting Baltimore Ravens, 28-6, through three quarters before the Cowboys finally read the memo. Nineteen unanswered, fourth quarter points closed the eventual margin to 28-25. Running out of racetrack in a second consecutive home loss wasn’t good, but perhaps the Cowboys can carry some of that momentum into Thursday’s game.
New York defeated the homestanding Cleveland Browns, 21-15, this past Sunday, as the Giants took advantage of a depleted Browns’ offensive line to end with eight sacks and two turnovers.
Quarterback Daniel Jones gave his critics the week off by throwing two touchdowns. Malik Nabers, he on the receiving end of both, became the youngest wide receiver with a multi-touchdown game in the history of the league. Nabers is barely 21.
It’s the visiting ‘Pokes as 4½-point favorites (total at 44), according to NFL odds.
Dallas is leading the all-time series (including postseason), 75-47-2, with the ‘Boys winning the last six (nine-of-10). New York lost each of these last half-dozen by at least seven points.
What’s Ailing Dallas?
It wasn’t a good look when quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. both with newly-minted contracts, engaged in a heated exchange on the sidelines last Sunday.
Lamb was guilty of a critical mistake against the Baltimore Ravens, fumbling after a red-zone catch in the first half. Derrick Henry ran wild as the Ravens defeated Dallas in Arlington, 28-25.
Lamb was just about AWOL after halftime (one reception, nine yards) in the second half, Prescott turning to Jalen Tolbert, Jake Ferguson and KaVontae Turpin in a belated rally. Whether Lamb might’ve turned himself off is another matter.
At least he was consistent. Lamb didn’t offer anything to the press after the game.
Then, there’s the morbid defense, having surrendered 29.7 points (30th in NFL) and 372.7 yards/game (29th), as of this Monday writing,
Giants’ Schneid Over
Just two weeks ago, quarterback Daniel Jones was booed walking to the bus after the New York Giants lost their season-opener at home. They then hit the road and fell to the Commanders in a game where Washington did not find the end zone.
Good thing the injury-depleted and self-imploding Cleveland Browns were next.
Despite fumbling the opening kickoff and surrendering a quickie touchdown, It was Big Blue with the next 21 points en route to a 21-15 victory.
Jones was 24-of-34 (236 passing yards, two touchdowns), securing his favorite-target status with rookie Malik Nabers (both of those touchdowns). Nabers has 23 receptions on the season, though ill-timed with a bob-boo against Washington.
Cleveland was hurting, especially on the offensive line, but the Giants were far more efficient (340 yards to 217) in the game.
Whether that’s an aberration with a team that’s scored just 45 points to date one of the great unknowns ahead of this game.
Turning that Tide
Dallas is the 9-4 (+225) to win the NFC East, New York as 40-1 (+4000) outsiders, as per NFL division odds.
As was mentioned, it’s been a one-sided series in the favor of the guys who wear the star. Dallas (theoretically) has the better roster here, but hasn’t come to play in the first halves each of the past two weeks.
Quarterback Dak Prescott has been forced to throw, as neither running back Rico Dowdle and Zeke Elliott have 100 yards through three games.
Meanwhile, the Giants’ ‘new Saquon Barkley’ is Devin Singletary (42 carries, 197 yards, two touchdowns) to date.
Prescott’s opposite number, Giants’ quarterback Daniel Jones, has been a model of inconsistency, more bad days than good. However, the effort against Cleveland offers hope.
Therefore, we’re with the G-Men +4½ at home to at least keep it a close Thursday evening.
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