Giants football is back! The New York Football Giants took care of business at home and delivered a huge win against the Dallas Cowboys. The score was 28-20, but it was never as close as the final score indicated. The Giants stayed in front of the Cowboys the whole game, scoring on their opening drive to go up 7-0 and never ceded the lead. A previously one-sided rivalry between the two storied NFC East rivals (the Cowboys were 16-4 over the past decade) was reignited, and the hope that Giants fans had been carrying throughout the whole offseason was validated. On Sunday Night Football, New York looked ready for the moment from the start of the game. It was obvious that they knew their identity on both sides of the ball and were comfortable with their style of play, that smashmouth, old school type of football that had been missing from Giants teams for far too long. From the first drive of the season, the defense forced the Cowboys offense off the field after a 3 and out, and gave the offense the ball back quickly. On the Giants opening drive, they passed the ball just 3 times, using the rushing game to their advantage and getting 50 yards and a TD on the ground, setting the tone for the game. Skattebo celebrated by doing some gymnastics capped off with a backflip, which he (thankfully) successfully landed. The offensive play calling under Matt Nagy looked extremely methodical and efficient. The run game was overwhelmingly powerful, with the New York offensive line pushing around a porous Cowboys defense and asserting their will. The G-Men averaged 4.5 yards per carry, and Jaxson Dart was also very involved in the run game.
Before the 3 kneel-downs at the end of the game skewed his stats, he gained 59 yards on only 8 carries, utilizing play action to keep the Cowboys defense on their heels. One thing that Giants fans were overjoyed to see was Dart protecting himself in the ground game, not really taking any unnecessary hits while maintaining the trademark aggressiveness that endeared him to his teammates and the fans. (Dart averaged 7.4 yards per carry prior to the kneel-downs). Let’s not forget to mention his jaw dropping efficiency through the air- he was 23/29 with 230 yards and 3 TD passes, spreading the ball around to his receivers and trusting them to come down with the ball. Malik Nabers had 6 receptions for 69 yards, but he spread the ball around well, passing to six different targets and consistently getting to his second and third options while scanning the field. The player who it really felt like unlocked the game for Dart was Isaiah Likely. He quickly made his presence felt, finishing with 8 receptions for 78 yards and 2 TDs, catching all of his targets. It wasn’t just the receiving yards that made a difference- he was an exceptional blocker in the run game, clearing the way for Skattebo on his rushing touchdown and having a couple really nice blocks on the edge of the Cowboys defense to seal off the perimeter on inside runs. He was a constant safety valve for Dart, but it wasn’t just like he blocked and released and then ran after Dart threw to him as a checkdown. Dart consistently threw him open, and there were two really nice third down conversions where Likely ran a 10 yard in and caught it for a first down, and another where he ran an out and secured a nice throw from Dart to essentially seal the game. He displayed good hands and a shiftiness that he hadn’t gotten to showcase living in the shadows of Mark Andrews in Baltimore. The former Ravens tight end had almost a fifth of his previous season high in receiving yards in just one game with his new team, and he looks like he’ll continue to be an integral part of the Giants offense.
The Giants defense also played high above the previous standard that was present before the John Harbaugh takeover. The Giants starters at cornerback were Greg Newsome II and Deonte Banks, who combined to only allow 8 receptions, 72 yards, and a touchdown to the Cowboys high powered, star studded tandem of George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb. The Giants edge rusher group generated a lot of hurries and pressures, but didn’t get a sack. However, Dak Presscott was consistently harassed and made uncomfortable in the pocket. Kayvon Thibodeaux had a pressure that led to Jevon Holland coming up with a key interception right before halftime to set the Giants offense up with a TD. The words “Complementary football” perfectly sum up the Giants win. The offense dominated time of possession by pounding the rock and letting Cam Skattebo deliver hit after hit to the Cowboys defense, chewing up 81 yards throughout the course of the game. The commitment to running the ball led to the Giants chewing up 36 minutes and 40 seconds, which in turn kept the defense fresh. The defense forced multiple 3 and outs throughout the course of the game and held the Dallas offense to only 69 rushing yards, which is a far cry from the 145.2 rushing yards a game the New York defense allowed a season ago. A big reason for the sudden dip in rushing yards allowed was the presence of new free agent acquisitions LB Tremaine Edmunds and DL D.J Reader. Although Reader had only 1 tackle, he was consistently taking on double teams and allowing other linemen and linebackers to blow up plays, which is invaluable for a defense that has explosive linebackers like Arvell Reese and Edmunds. Tremaine Edmunds finished with 8 total tackles (7 solo) and made his presence felt in the run game as well, flying to the ball and plugging up running lanes.
When the game was over last Sunday, it was more than just a win. Their first victory helped restore credibility to the Giants franchise and gave them respect nationwide on one of the biggest stages. One victory won’t be enough, though. Even though the Giants played an efficient, clean game vs the Cowboys, a Monday Night Football matchup against the Rams looms large. They’re slated to kick off at 8:15 at Sofi Stadium, and the Giants face another test on a national stage. They’ll likely look to replicate the gameplan they had against the Cowboys, chewing up the clock and scoring early to put the Rams in a pass-first situation and forcing them to pass first, which would unleash a pass rush that didn’t record a sack in Week 1. The Giants cornerback injuries are something to keep an eye on, as Deonte Banks is officially questionable and Paulson Adebo was put on injured reserve on Friday. Although the Giants are underdogs, John Harbaugh’s high expectations match the belief in the locker room that New York is in every game, no matter who the opponent is. This team is ready to prove the doubters wrong and show the football world what New York Giants Football is really about.
My name is Chris Jelinski. I’m a sophomore and I play wide receiver for my high school football team. I have a really strong passion for writing and sports. My favorite football team is the New York Giants and I also follow the Knicks and the Yankees. In my free time, I like to read, bake, and spend time with my family.
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