Dallas (1-2) at N.Y. Giants (1-2)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Amazon Prime Video.
BetMGM NFL Odds: Cowboys by 4 1/2.
Against the spread: Cowboys 1-2, Giants 1-2.
Series record: Cowboys lead 75-47-2.
Last meeting: Cowboys beat Giants 49-17 on Nov. 12, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.
Last week: Cowboys lost to the Ravens 28-25; Giants beat Browns 21-15.
Cowboys offense: overall (T9), rush (29), pass (1), scoring (5)
Cowboys defense: overall (29), rush (32), pass (14), scoring (30)
Giants offense: overall (22), rush (19), pass (19), scoring (T30)
Giants defense: overall (15), rush (23), pass (13), scoring (T20)
Turnover differential: Cowboys: even; Giants minus-1.
Cowboys player to watch
DE Micah Parsons is without a sack in consecutive games as the Dallas pass rush has disappeared since a disruptive opener. Parsons has had three games in a row without a sack just once in his career, early in his rookie season in 2021. After getting six sacks and 17 QB hits against Cleveland in a 33-17 victory, the Cowboys have had one sack and two QB hits in consecutive home losses.
Giants player to watch
Wide receiver Malik Nabers. The No. 6 overall draft pick has 23 receptions for 271 yards and three touchdowns, making him the first player in NFL history with 20-plus catches and three touchdowns in his first three career games. His catch total is tied with Anquan Boldin (2003) for the second-most receptions by a player in his first three games. The Rams’ Puka Nacua had 30 last year.
Key matchup
The Giants offensive line against the Cowboys front seven. One of the major reasons Dallas has lost two in a row is its run defense. The Cowboys are ranked last, giving up an average of 185.7 yards after New Orleans and Baltimore combined for 464 yards the past two weeks. It’s the reason they’re not getting any sacks. Why throw against Big D when they can’t stop the run (the combined 31 pass attempts by the Saints and Ravens are the fewest in a two-game stretch against Dallas since 1990). If the Giants’ O-line can continue the trend, Daniel Jones and Nabers are going to make plays.
Injuries
Cowboys S Markquese Bell (ankle) and rookie CB Caelen Carson (shoulder) are doubtful after being injured against the Ravens. Carson was forced into the starting lineup after DaRon Bland had surgery for a stress fracture in a foot late in the preseason. Bland is out at least one more game. … Giants CBs Dru Phillips and Adoree Jackson are out with calf injuries. CB Nick McCloud (knee) is just getting back after being hurt in the opener. WR Darius Slayton (thumb) is questionable. … ILB Micah McFadden (back) and DT Dexter Lawrence (foot) are on the injury report.
Series notes
The Cowboys have won six straight and 13 of 14, tied for their most in such a stretch against one opponent. It also happened with Washington from 1998-2004, Arizona from 1992-96 and the Giants from 1974-81. They won last year’s two games by a combined margin of 89-17.
Stats and stuff
The Cowboys are playing a road game on three days’ rest for the first time in franchise history, according to the team. They always play at home on Thanksgiving. … Dallas is 29th in the league at 3.56 yards rushing per game with a running back-by-committee approach that isn’t working. Ezekiel Elliott returned to the Cowboys after a season in New England that followed a seven-year run with two NFL rushing titles in Dallas. He had career lows of three carries for 6 yards against Baltimore. … The Cowboys allowed an average of 11.9 yards per play in the first half against the Saints, who led 35-16 at the break, and 8.8 yards per play in the first half against the Ravens, who led 21-6. … QB Dak Prescott is 32-8 against the NFC East. Those are the most wins for any current quarterback against a division opponent. … WR CeeDee Lamb is still looking for his first 100-yard game after finishing with eight in his first All-Pro season in 2023. He missed all of training camp in a contract holdout. He had a fumble against the Ravens. … Eight of DE DeMarcus Lawrence’s 60 1/2 sacks are against Jones, his most against an opposing quarterback in his 11 seasons. … K Brandon Aubrey had a 65-yard field goal against the Ravens, 1 yard shy of the record held by Baltimore’s Justin Tucker. Aubrey is 15 of 15 from at least 50 yards in his two seasons. That’s an NFL record for makes from at least 50 without a miss to start a career. … Giants: Jones has thrown two TDs and no interceptions in each of the past two games. … The O-Line has allowed eight sacks in three games. The team allowed 85 last season. … Rookie DT Elijah Chatman had his first sack and fumble recovery Sunday. … S Jason Pinnock has three sacks. He shares the team lead with DT Dexter Lawrence. … Nine players had at least a half a sack as the Giants had eight against Cleveland. They are the fourth NFL team since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic. Buffalo (2011), Dallas (1985), and Kansas City (1985) are the others. … New kicker Greg Joseph missed his only field-goal attempt against Cleveland.
Fantasy tip
Prescott has won his past 12 starts against the Giants. He threw for 404 yards and four touchdowns while running for another score in the 49-17 win in November. Prescott ranks fourth in wins (10) and fifth in both yards (4,031) and TD passes (27) in Thursday games.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
