The Cowboys scored in all three phases and overwhelmed the Giants 40-0 in the dominant opening game
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Dak Prescott has now won 11 straight games against his division rival New York Giants.
However, the Dallas Cowboys’ season-opening win was not solely or primarily based on their quarterback.
None of the 40 points scored were credited to Prescott on the box score (or in your fantasy league).
Touchdowns came from all three phases of the road team.
The 40-0 win was overwhelming.
The first drive of the game appeared to cause problems for the Cowboys’ defense, as Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Saquon Barkley each repeatedly escaped upfield. But chaos ensued when Giants kicker Graham Gano attempted a 45-yard field goal. Cowboys safety Juanyeh Thomas blocked the attempt, while Cowboys cornerback Noah Igbinoghene returned it for a 58-yard touchdown.
The Cowboys had acquired Igbinoghene from the Dolphins 12 days earlier.
Dallas pass rusher Micah Parsons scored a drive-killing sack on the next possession, and star receiver CeeDee Lamb then fueled the drive with a 49-yard catch from Prescott. Ultimately, Dallas stalled in the red zone and settled for a field goal. It took them less than a minute before they returned to the end zone, this time on defense.
Credit cornerback Trevon Diggs with the physical tackle of Saquon Barkley, which doubled as a pass breakup, and cornerback DaRon Bland with the interception and 22-yard touchdown return.
Both offenses continued to struggle on a rainy night. But when veteran cornerback Stephon Gillmore caught a jumping interception that resulted in Parsons pushing Jones out of bounds, the Dallas offense found itself with a 25-yard field. Tony Pollard hit a 2-yard touchdown in his first game as the Cowboys’ lead running back.
Pollard would score his second touchdown, a 1-yarder around right end, one play after a fumble in the red zone. Cowboys center Tyler Biadasz recovered the fumble, which allowed the Cowboys to drive.
Even KaVontae Turpin, largely a special teams player for the Cowboys, rushed for a touchdown that night.
What does blowout mean for Cowboys, Giants?
There’s one thing the Cowboys should be confident about in this opening game: Their defense is dangerous. Their offensive line is respectable. And they’re well-positioned to defend their NFL title if the scoring night with two fumbles, two interceptions and blocked fields is any indication.
Undrafted rookie kicker Brandon Aubrey also deserves recognition for his 10-point night, in which Aubrey hit three of four extra-point attempts as well as 21- and 38-yard field goals.
The Cowboys also shouldn’t worry about the running game without Ezekiel Elliott, as Pollard’s 70 yards and two touchdowns highlighted the team’s 122-yard night on the ground.
Prescott played a smart, if unspectacular, game. The Cowboys will likely need more from him in later games of the season, perhaps as early as next week against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets. But avoiding mistakes is a valuable skill. Prescott didn’t force anything as the rain threatened mistakes.
The Giants have to seriously ask themselves what went wrong. You have to find more than one answer. How can they better utilize tight end Darren Waller? Waller showed off his prowess on an air toss, turning in a 22-yarder to convert fourth-and-5, but overall only finished with 36 yards and caught three of five targets.
How can the Giants threaten if they fall behind and therefore can’t lean on Barkley as much?
The Giants need to improve on both sides of the line of scrimmage – their talented defensive linemen managed no sacks against Prescott, while their offensive line allowed seven against Jones. So it’s no surprise that Jones completed just 15 of 28 balls for 104 yards and two interceptions.
Next up, New York hosts the Arizona Cardinals, who may be just the detox opponent they need before taking on one of the NFC’s best players in the San Francisco 49ers.
