‘Exceptional!’ Cowboys Compare Stephon Gilmore to Hall of Famer

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore delivered on high offseason expectations with a strong game against the New York Giants - and now, coach Mike McCarthy has raised the bar even higher.

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones took the snap and rolled to his right.

Trailing the Dallas Cowboys 19-0 in the second quarter, Jones felt the need to make a play. He scrambled, kept his eyes downfield and fired.

Intercepted, Stephon Gilmore.

A diving snag by Gilmore, a five-time Pro Bowl cornerback making his Cowboys debut, gave Dallas the ball back. Five plays later, America's Team found the endzone and continued its rout of New York, ultimately walking away victorious 40-0 inside MetLife Stadium on Sunday night.

It was quite the introduction for Gilmore, 33, and put an exclamation point on a strong debut in which he recorded three passes defended.

Playing alongside star cornerback Trevon Diggs, Gilmore looked healthy and dominant - and he reminded Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy of a Hall of Fame defender.

"The way he sees the game is exceptional," McCarthy said postgame. "I look back at Charles Woodson and some of those guys that had that special trait, and he definitely has that."

Woodson, who earned nine Pro Bowl nods across an illustrious 18-year career spent primarily with the Oakland Raiders, spent seven years playing under McCarthy with the Green Bay Packers.

As such, McCarthy knows what made Woodson special - and perhaps more importantly, he knows that Gilmore has carried the same attributes since arriving in Dallas this spring.

"He’s an incredible route reader, just the pattern of concepts and understanding of the stems," McCarthy said.

Gilmore allowed only three receptions for 36 yards on eight targets, showing signs of his former All-Pro self. McCarthy praised both he and receiver Brandin Cooks for how they fit into the scheme and locker room and the natural talent they bring to the table.

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There's a reason Dallas targeted Gilmore this spring - it envisioned a potent duo with him and Diggs, and the returns - albeit just one game - are certainly encouraging.

And with a comparison to a Hall of Fame defensive back in his back pocket, it's safe to say Gilmore has left a strong mark on the Cowboys' coaching staff.

Dallas is back in action on Sunday, when it welcomes the 1-0 New York Jets - who will be without Aaron Rodgers after his season-ending Achilles injury on Monday - for a 3:25 p.m. CST kickoff.