Giants Hand Cowboys Their Only Two Losses
Sunday night, the Giants did it again! The New York Giants beat the Dallas Cowboys 10-7. The Giants are the only team to beat the Cowboys this year. Prior to that, the Cowboys won 11 straight games with their only blemish being a loss to the same Giants on opening day. The Giants are the only team this year that know how to beat the Cowboys in the NFL.
The top performers of the game were wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. for the Giants and running back Ezekiel Elliott for the Cowboys. Beckham had 4 receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown. Elliott had 24 carries for 104 yards. Elliott continues to show why he's the top rusher in the NFL and should easily win the Rookie of the Year award.
In a game of miscues by both offenses, Elliott and Beckham were the only bright spots.
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After the first 3 possessions of the game ended in punts, the Cowboys got the ball at their own 33. The Cowboys would face a 4th and 1 when Elliott would run for 2 yards of to the right to give them the first down. Elliott would run for 9 more yards off the right end. On the same play, the Giants were called for defensive holding putting the ball on the Giants 42. Elliott would gain 11 more yards on 2 plays to get the ball down to the 31 of the Giants. Then on a 2nd and 10, the quarterback Dak Prescott found a wide open Terrence Williams for the 31 yard touchdown pass to put the Cowboys up 7-0.
Terrence Williams was left wide open for the Cowboys only score of the game.
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On the next possession, the Giants would have the ball on their own 43. Quarterback Eli Manning found wide receiver Beckham for a 19 yard pass play to the Cowboys 38. On a 4th and 3, Manning found Beckham for 7 yards to the Cowboys 24. However on the next play, defensive lineman Cedric Thorton knocked the ball out of Eli's hands and recovered the fumble.
Both defenses then played outstanding before the half ended. The Giants would come up with a pick while the Cowboys would recover another fumble. There would be a total of 6 punts between both teams as well.
The Cowboys would then get the ball at their own 21 yard line with 32 seconds left. Prescott would find wide receiver Cole Beasley for 13 yards to get the ball to the 41 with 16 seconds left. Prescott would then find Williams for 18 yards to the Giants 37 with 2 seconds left. Kicker Dan Bailey then tried a 55 yard field goal. However, the ball hit the crossbar and fell no good to keep the score at 7-0 at halftime.
Sheppard and the Giants would convert a big 4th down that lead to a field goal.
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The third quarter opened up with 3 punting possessions before the Giants got the ball with good field position at their own 44. The Giants would drive the ball to the Cowboys 37 but face a 4th and 3. Manning would find wide receiver Sterling Sheppard for 14 yards at the Cowboys 23. The drive would stall at the Cowboys 21 and kicker Robbie Gould would connect with a 38 yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3.
On the next possession, the Cowboys would start at their own 23. Elliott would run off the left end for 13 yards. Prescott would then hook up with Beasley for 18 yards to the Giants 46. After a 2 yard run by Elliott, the Cowboys would get called for offensive holding. Then Prescott would get sacked back to the Cowboys 49. Prescott would then throw a deep ball to wide receiver Dez Bryant which was intercepted Leon Hall at the Giants 10. Hall would return it 29 yards to the Giants 39. On 2nd and 10, Manning found Beckham on a short slant. Beckham then eluded tacklers for a 61 yard touchdown reception to give the Giants a 10-7 lead.
Beckham would be off to the races for the game winning touchdown.
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After a 3 and out, the Giants got the ball back at their own 34. After an offensive holding penalty, Manning would find Sheppard for 17 yards. Manning would find Beckham for 7 more yards to pick up the first down at the Cowboys 40. Running back Rashaad Jennings would then run for 13 yards off the left tackle to the Cowboys 23. On a 2nd and 9, Manning then threw a pass intended for wide receiver Victor Cruz. However, defensive back Anthony Brown intercepted the pass at the 15 yard line with 9:47 to play.
Both teams would then punt the ball twice before the Cowboys would get the ball on their own 24 with 2:39 to play. After an incomplete pass on first down, Prescott found running back Lance Dunbar for 4 yards. Then on 3rd and 6, Prescott found wide receiver Dez Bryant for 10 yards. However, cornerback Janoris Jenkins knocked the ball out of Bryant's hands and safety Landon Collins recovered the ball at the Cowboys 38.
Jennings would pick up 7 yards on 3 plays giving the Giants a 4th and 3 at the Cowboys 31. However, the Giants would get called for a delay of game penalty. Punter Brad Wiing would then pin the Cowboys to the 3 with 1:15 to play
On first down, Prescott threw an incomplete pass to tight end Jason Witten. On second, Prescott missed Dunbar. On third, Prescott's pass to Beasley fell incomplete facing a 4th and 10 for the Cowboys. Prescott threw a pass to Bryant which at first was called a completed pass for 17 yards. However, replays showed that Bryant did not catch the ball and the Giants took over possession to end the game.
With the win, the Giants moved to 9-4. The Giants need to at least win two more games to make the playoffs. They face the Detroit Lions on Sunday at 1:00. Meanwhile, the Cowboys fell to 11-2 now only leading the NFC East by two games over the Giants. The Cowboys need to win the final two games to clinch both the division and home field advantage for the NFC playoffs. They face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday night at 8:30 in Dallas. The Giants will also host the Lions on Sunday.
First year head coach Ben McAdoo has done a great job of guiding the Giants to their first winning season since 2012.
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