NFL
By: Greg Rector
New York Giants (7-3) vs Dallas Cowboys (7-3)
AT&T Stadium 4:30 PM FOX
Dallas Cowboys football on Thanksgiving Day. A tradition that normally doesn’t see the New York Giants as the opponent. This will be the first time since 1992, that these NFC East rivals play on the biggest holiday of the year. The Cowboys come into this game after dismantling the Minnesota Vikings 40-3, while the Giants lost to the Detroit Lions 31 to 18. Let’s look at this matchup.
Dallas Cowboys Defense versus New York Giants Offense
Well, folks the “Danny Dimes,” that has so often been the brunt of jokes and criticism in his career showed up against the Lions. For Dallas, the defense was absolutely stellar against Minnesota. Thanks to a hot start overall the Cowboys limited the Vikings to just 73 yards of rushing. Meanwhile, Saquon Barkley had his worst game of the season with just 22 yards on 15 carries for the Giants in their loss. Stopping Barkley is the key to forcing the Giants into being a passing team. Get that job done and you can do what the Cowboys have been doing to the Giants in their most recent games against one another, aside from the 23-16 game earlier in the year with Cooper Rush at QB.You also must contain Daniel Jones and limit his roll-outs and his own rushing attempts. Hard to say how healthy or even how available center Jon Feliciano (neck) or right tackle Tyre Phillips (neck) will be with the quick turnaround. In the passing game, the Giants’ receiving room will be without Wan’Dale Robinson (knee) already not a unit that has done very well at all this season having fewer options at receiver for the Giants will be a test for them. Given all the bad news for the Giants on that front, here’s some more bad news, the Cowboys racked up 7 sacks against the Vikings, including the strip sack by Micah Parsons, that set the tone for the rest of the game against Minnesota. When the Cowboys’ defense has dictated to an opponent versus reacted to them it’s been night and day in the results column. The overall speed of this Cowboys defense is something to behold when they use it.
New York Giants Defense vs Dallas Cowboys Offense
Here’s the even worse news for the Giants after the Detroit game, with both starting corners Adoree Jackson (knee) and Fabian Moreau (ribs) injured along with safety Jason Pinnock (jaw) forced out of the Lions game. That’s bad news if you watched Dak Prescott (22/25 276 yards and 2 TD passes) dissect the Vikings defense with ease all game long. A depleted secondary is the last thing the Giants need at this point. 10 different Cowboys caught passes against Minnesota. Tony Pollard, was a one-man wrecking crew turning 6 catches for 109 yards and 2 TDs in the air to go along with another 80 yards rushing on 15 carries. One of the better dual-threat games of the season by any back. Just for the haters, Ezekiel Elliott returned to kick in another 42 yards and while the yards per carry sucked (2.8) just as I said last week he got the ugly yards when needed also scoring 2 TDs in the red zone. When Dak has less than 30 pass attempts he is now 25-4 in his career. Dear Kellen Moore, do not I repeat do not get pass happy again. Thank you from Cowboys fans everywhere.
Prediction
The Dallas Cowboys cannot afford a letdown after taking the Vikings to the woodshed. This is not the time to have a “turkey,” effort. It’s time to be as focused, as aggressive, and as solid in execution as you were against Minnesota. Don’t come out flat and play like garbage. No repeat of the Raiders visit last year on Thanksgiving Day. The bounce back after the Packers loss cannot be for just one week. This game will be the most watched game of the day, you all know this. Send the right message this time. As for the Giants, they absolutely have to see a monster game from Saquon Barkley, if not it will be a very bad holiday for the G-Men. Given the uncertainty for the Giants health-wise, I lie the Cowboys to continue their dominance over New York. Thanksgiving dinner will taste better for Cowboys fans after they beat the Giants 30 to 17.
As always find me on Twitter @GregCowboys
