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The Dallas Cowboys will be the last team in the NFL to play on the road as they travel to take on the New York Giants in Week 3.
This isn’t your typical Cowboys vs. Giants matchup of recent years; those have mostly been mismatches with starting quarterback Dak Prescott lining up under center. Dallas is usually the better team trying to win a hard fought divisional game, whereas the Giants have often been trying to figure out their season and how to come away with an expected victory.
This season, the Giants are 2-0 and looking to keep their turnaround year going, while the Cowboys are the team trying to find a way to win. The lights will be bright on Monday Night Football and the Cowboys have some confidence going with backup quarterback Cooper Rush fresh off a game-winning drive against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2’s victory.
If Dallas somehow comes away with a win, they’ll be in second place in the NFC East and a season that looked to be straying off course after Week 1 could be stabilizing.
Here are the keys to beating the Giants to help the Cowboys stay on track in 2022:
Pressure Giants quarterback Daniel Jones
New York has won their first two games of the season, yet QB Daniel Jones hasn’t had much of a hand in those victories. Jones is more of a game manager who can use his legs to find success, but still struggles as a passer. The fourth year QB has a penchant for holding onto the ball for too long, taking sacks, and giving the football away.
Jones has fumbled 11 times in his first three seasons, but hasn’t put one on the ground yet this year. The Giants remade their offensive line this offseason and drafted offensive tackle Evan Neal seventh overall, but the unit has still given up eight sacks in the first two games.
Quarterbacks often play a role in taking sacks and Jones’ pocket presence remains an issue.
If the Cowboys can pressure Jones, they can force him into making some bad decisions and disrupt the offense. The defense's pass rush, led by Micah Parsons, can play a big role in whether Dallas leaves East Rutherford with a win.
Slow down running back Saquon Barkley
The Saquon Barkley that the Giants drafted second overall in 2018 has shown up in the first two weeks of the 2022 season. Now healthy after a few years of nagging injuries, Barkley looks like one of the top running backs in the league again.
After two weeks, Barkley led the league in rushing, and is averaging a whopping 6.1 yards per carry.
A threat whenever he touches the ball, Barkley is also used in the passing game ranking second on the Giants in receptions with nine. Barkley was second in the NFL in total yards coming into Week 3 with 282.
This is the dynamic Barkley that was once considered one of the best RBs to come out of college in years, and the Cowboys need to slow him down to give themselves a better chance at winning. Stopping the run has been a problem for the Cowboys in recent seasons, so Barkley and the Giants represent a big challenge.
Be effective in the running game
The Cowboys haven’t been great at running the ball yet this season, but the Giants will likely be without one of their better two-way players in defensive lineman Leonard Williams, who is doubtful with a right knee sprain. Even with Williams, the Giants are giving up nearly 120 yards per game on the ground thus far.
Running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard haven’t hit their stride yet through two games, but this could be the week for them to get going. Elliott is averaging 4.2 yards per carry, so he’s been effective in his attempts, but the offense hasn’t had the opportunity to commit to him throughout a full game yet.
Pollard took a pseudo-handoff last week and nearly scored on a long gain, but the duo has only received 40 carries total through two weeks. That needs to change with Rush under center for his second straight game.
The Cowboys have played two of the top eight defenses at stopping the run in the league to start the season, but they now get break with a softer Giants defense that can be run on.
Win the turnover battle
The Giants have won their first two games this season, and they were both close games, with an average margin of victory of just two points. The offense for the Giants isn’t explosive and will be without wide receivers Wan’Dale Robinson and Kadarius Toney.
Dallas hasn’t been a high-powered offense through their first two contests either. The Cowboys have given the ball away once in each of their first two games, and tight end Dalton Schultz’s fumble almost cost the team the game last week.
If the Cowboys can hold onto the ball, and force a few turnovers, they will have an advantage that could prove the difference if the contest remains close.
Do you think the Cowboys will be able to win their first NFC East clash of the season? Share your predictions with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi.
