DALLAS — We're back!
After a week off spent covering the Texas Rangers World Series Championship and celebratory parade, The Playbook is back and focused on the Cowboys (5-3) as they embark on the second half of the season. The Giants (2-7) visit AT&T Stadium at an opportune time. The Cowboys are in need of a lift after dropping a game to the division-leading Eagles. Dallas had multiple opportunities to win.
It's a get-right game.
The loss to the Eagles was the latest gut-punch for Cowboys nation. The Cowboys bungled multiple opportunities late in the game to score the go-ahead touchdown. The offensive line gave up three sacks in the final three minutes. Dak Prescott took one of those sacks deep in Eagles territory with less than half-a-minute left in the game, and it proved to be fatal.
Once again, in the crucial and decisive moments of the game, the Cowboys took penalties and failed to execute, leaving Cowboys fans scratching their heads like they have too many times in the last several seasons. But the Eagles loss was not all negative. In fact, it's the best we've seen from the new "Texas Coast" offense (if that's what it still is).
Prescott moved well in-and-out of the pocket and threw for 374 yards and three touchdown passes, despite being under near constant pressure. Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb continue to improve their connection, with Lamb hauling in 11 catches for a career-high 191 yards. Lamb is now leading the NFL with 19 catches of 20-plus yards. He called for the ball after the San Francisco loss, and they're giving it to him.
Still, there's plenty of room for improvement. While Lamb's numbers have sky-rocketed, Mike McCarthy hasn't figured out how to effectively incorporate receiver Brandin Cooks. His stats are pedestrian: 17 receptions for 165 yards and two touchdowns in nine games. The big play ability hasn't been there. The Cowboys haven't taken enough shots his way, and perhaps against a struggling Giants squad, he'll get more of those type of chances.
Prescott loves to face the Giants. After losing twice his rookie season, he hasn't lost since. Prescott has an 11-game win streak over the G-Men. The Cowboys have also won 11 straight at home, so this game is theirs for the taking. Now the questions will be if they have the discipline to prepare the right way to win a game they have zero reason to lose.
A Quick Look at the Weekend Ahead
- Who: Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams
- When: 3:25 p.m. on Sunday, November 12, 2023
- Where: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
- Weather: Mostly cloudy. Highs in the mid 60s, and lows in the low 50s.
- Watch: FOX (Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Erin Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi)
- Listen: KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan (Brad Sham, Babe Laufenberg, Kristi Scales)
- Last Meeting: Dallas 40 - New York 0 (September 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, New Jersey)
- Series Record: Dallas leads 74-47-2
X’s and Joe’s
Not only do the Giants have the worst-ranked offense in the NFL so far this season, they're also down to their third-string quarterback: Undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito. Starter Daniel Jones missed three games earlier in the season, then came back last week and tore his ACL. His backup, Tyrod Taylor is out with a rib injury. Veteran Matt Barkley has signed with the team, as well.
The Giants lead the league in all the ways you'd like to avoid, like negative point differential, dead last at -116. The Cowboys got that ball rolling with a 40-0 victory over the G-men in the season opener. The Giants have gone on to score the fewest points in the NFL, just 101 points in nine games.
Cowboys "do-everything defender" Micah Parsons will be licking his chops. The Giants offensive line has given up an NFL-leading 49 sacks through nine games this season. Three different starters on the line have missed time this season, including All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas. They've got them all back, but as a group, they gave up eight sacks in their 30-6 loss to the Raiders.
The Cowboys defense has struggled against the run, and Saquon Barkley will be lining up Sunday. He's been the absolute focus of opposing defense, but he's still managed to average 97 yards rushing per game over the last four games. This is the classic case of the Cowboys defensive earning the right to rush the passer. Expect them to bring numbers to slow down Barkley then wreak havoc in the passing game.
It should be a numbers game - big stat numbers for Parsons and his fellow defenders.
Random Stat of the Week
Ever wonder how many footballs are used in each game?
54.
Each team is expected to supply 12 primary footballs and 12 backup footballs. Besides those 48 balls, refs break open six brand new balls that are shipped directly to the game's head referee a few hours before the game. Those six balls are specially marked to be used in the kicking game.
Cowboys Fan Bandwagon Meter
Prediction time: Joestradamus speaks!
The Cowboys better win this game. The real questions should be by how much. They are a 16.5-point favorites in this one. Vegas has had the Cowboys predicted with four wins by more than 20 points this season.
I think that spread is just a little too much for this divisional game. Cowboys will win this one, still, by a score of 31-16.
More Dallas Cowboys coverage: