NY Giants (0-1) at Dallas (0-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Fox
BetMGM line: Cowboys by 5 1/2.
Against the spread: Giants 0-1; Cowboys 1-0.
Series record: Cowboys lead 77-47-2.
Last meeting: Cowboys beat Giants 27-20, in Arlington, Texas on Nov. 28, 2024.
Last week: Giants lost to Washington 21-6; Cowboys lost to Philadelphia 24-20.
Giants offense: overall (28), rush (23), pass (23), scoring (32)
Giants defense: overall (T30), rush (31), pass (T20), scoring (T19)
Cowboys offense: overall (17), rush (T10), pass (T18),
scoring (T15)
Cowboys defense: overall (15), rush (28), pass (7), scoring (T22)
Turnover differential: Giants even, Cowboys minus-1.
WR Malik Nabers was unhappy with his performance at Washington, when he was targeted 12 times but had just five catches. Nabers was one of the top rookies in the league last season and is by far the most dynamic offensive player for New York. This team struggles to score if he's not impacting the game.
QB Dak Prescott has a 13-game winning streak against the Giants and played well against the Eagles in his return after missing the final nine games of last season with a torn hamstring. Prescott's run against New York is the longest since New England's Tom Brady beat Buffalo 13 times in a row from 2003-10. The only longer streak in NFL history was Bob Griese's 17-game winning streak for Miami against the Bills from 1968-79.
Giants DT Dexter Lawrence vs. Cowboys OL. Dallas got a huge break in the opener when Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on Prescott before the first snap of the game. The Cowboys had a solid game on the ground and got two short touchdown runs from new running back Javonte Williams after finishing with an NFL-worst six rushing TDs in 2024. Four of Dallas' five linemen are fourth-year players or younger.
Giants: LT Andrew Thomas did not play in Week 1 as he works back from foot surgery. It’s unclear if he’ll be ready to return. … LB Micah McFadden injured his right foot/leg against the Commanders and could be out, though coach Brian Daboll said McFadden did not break a bone, as initially feared. LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles aggravated a calf injury that sidelined him for much of training camp.
Cowboys: CB DaRon Bland and S Malik Hooker both missed practice time this week with foot injuries. Bland's status is the more serious question. The team reported on its website he could be out a couple of weeks. Bland missed the first 10 games last season with an unrelated foot injury. He signed a $92 million, four-year extension before the season. Two years ago, Bland set an NFL record with five interception returns for touchdowns.
Dallas has won 15 of the past 16 meetings with the Giants. It's the second-most dominant run against a division opponent in franchise history. The Cowboys won 16 of 17 against the Arizona Cardinals from 1990-98.
The Cowboys will play their 1,000th regular-season game. ... The Giants became the second team in NFL history (Detroit was the other in the early 1940s) not to score a touchdown in three consecutive openers. They came up empty in two red zone trips, and Graham Gano made field goals from 21 and 55 yards. … QB Russell Wilson was 17 of 37 for 168 yards in his Giants debut, which was also his 200th regular-season start. Wilson was the team’s leading rusher with 44 yards on eight carries. … LB Bobby Okereke led the NFL in Week 1 with a career-high 16 tackles. … CB Paulson Adebo held Commanders WR Terry McLaurin to two catches for 27 yards. Adebo picked off Prescott last year when New Orleans won 44-19 at Dallas. ... Prescott needs 29 completions to pass Tony Romo for second on Dallas' career list. Romo had 2,829. Pro Football Hall of Famer Troy Aikman is the franchise leader at 2,898. ... Javonte Williams is the second Dallas running back in franchise history with multiple rushing touchdowns in his Dallas debut. Herschel Walker was the other in 1986. ... WR CeeDee Lamb has at least 100 yards receiving in three consecutive games going back to last season. He can match the longest of his career and join Cooper Kupp (2019 and 2021) as the only receivers with multiple streaks of at least four 100-yard games in the past 10 seasons.
There was uncertainty on who would carry the load at running back for the Cowboys. The early answer is Williams after he played 80% of the offensive snaps against the Eagles, a career high for the fifth-year back.
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