Dallas beats New York Giants/ Cowboys vs Giants recap/ Cowboys seventh straight win Giants/ Newslooks/ EAST RUTHERFORD/ N.J./ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Dak Prescott threw two touchdown passes as the Dallas Cowboys defeated the New York Giants 20-15, ending a two-game losing streak. CeeDee Lamb caught a 55-yard TD, and Dallas’ defense held the Giants to just 26 rushing yards. The victory marks the Cowboys’ seventh straight win over their NFC East rivals.
Cowboys Beat Giants 20-15: Quick Looks
- Prescott shines: Dak Prescott threw two TD passes, one each to Rico Dowdle and CeeDee Lamb, guiding Dallas to victory.
- Strong defense: Dallas held the Giants to 26 rushing yards, shutting down New York’s offense.
- Cowboys’ injuries: Micah Parsons left with a leg injury, and DeMarcus Lawrence exited with a foot injury.
- Giants struggle: Despite Daniel Jones throwing for 281 yards, New York couldn’t find the end zone, scoring only on field goals.
Prescott Leads Cowboys Past Giants, 20-15, Ending Skid
Deep Look
The Dallas Cowboys secured a much-needed victory on Thursday night, defeating the New York Giants 20-15 at MetLife Stadium. After back-to-back losses, the Cowboys got back on track, ending a brief slump and earning their seventh straight win over their NFC East rivals.
Dak Prescott was the driving force behind the Cowboys’ offense, completing 22 of 27 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns. The win moved Dallas to a 2-2 record and offered temporary relief from the scrutiny surrounding the team and head coach Mike McCarthy after two disappointing losses. Despite the win, celebrations were muted in the Cowboys’ locker room as the team acknowledged they have more work to do.
“We got to change the narrative,” Prescott said after the game. “This puts us at 2-and-2 and gives us a few days to reset and get our minds and bodies right.”
Prescott Leads the Way
Prescott’s first touchdown came on a 15-yard screen pass to running back Rico Dowdle, putting the Cowboys on the board in the first quarter. His second was a 55-yard catch-and-run to star receiver CeeDee Lamb in the third quarter, which gave Dallas a crucial 17-9 lead. Lamb managed to break free of defenders, sprinting to the end zone and celebrating by flexing his muscles, earning an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taunting.
“I think it was the only 1-on-1 I got all game, and we exploited it,” said Lamb, who had seven catches for 98 yards. He acknowledged frustration at not yet achieving a 100-yard game this season.
Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey added two field goals, including a career-long 60-yarder, to help solidify the Cowboys’ victory.
Defensive Standout, Injuries to Key Players
While the Cowboys’ offense got back on track, it was their defense that shined, especially in the run game. Entering the game with the league’s worst rush defense, Dallas held the Giants to just 26 yards on 24 carries, a significant improvement that limited New York’s ability to control the game on the ground.
Star linebacker Micah Parsons, however, left the game in the fourth quarter with a leg injury. He is set to undergo X-rays on Friday to determine the severity of the injury. DeMarcus Lawrence, who recorded a sack in the first half, also left with a foot injury, adding to Dallas’ concerns on defense.
“You lose two in a row, and things get a little tense,” said Lamb, acknowledging the importance of the win. “It’s a division game, so this one was a must-win for us.”
Giants’ Struggles
Despite outgaining the Cowboys in time of possession, the New York Giants fell to 1-3 after failing to score a touchdown for the second straight home game. Quarterback Daniel Jones was solid, completing 29 of 40 passes for 281 yards, but New York had to settle for five field goals from kicker Greg Joseph.
Jones found rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers 12 times for 115 yards, and Wan’Dale Robinson added 11 catches for 71 yards, but the lack of a ground game severely hindered the Giants’ ability to finish drives in the red zone. Nabers later left the game with a concussion, further complicating the Giants’ situation.
“We don’t feel good about losing,” Jones said postgame. “We didn’t do enough to win, and it’s frustrating. But we’re not discouraged—we’re still confident in our team and what we can do.”
New York’s inability to run the ball against a struggling Dallas rush defense was a major factor. The Cowboys had been allowing an average of 185.7 rushing yards per game, but New York only managed 26 rushing yards on the night, a 1.1-yard average.
“We’ve got to do a better job in the run game,” said head coach Brian Daboll, who took responsibility for the struggles on the ground.
Missed Opportunities
The Giants had one last chance to steal the game after Aubrey missed a 51-yard field goal with just over a minute left, his first career miss from beyond 50 yards. However, Jones threw an interception on New York’s final drive, sealing the Cowboys’ victory.
If there was a bright spot for the Giants, it was that they were competitive against Dallas, a marked improvement from the 89-17 aggregate scoreline they endured in last year’s two losses to the Cowboys.
What’s Next
Cowboys: Dallas heads to Pittsburgh on October 6 for a Sunday night game, the second of their five prime-time appearances this season.
Giants: New York travels to Seattle on October 6 to face the Seahawks in a critical matchup as they try to turn their season around.
