Cowboys Country

Micah Parsons, Sick: 'My 60% is 100%' - Cowboys Secure 23-16 Win at Giants: Live Game Log

The Giants hosted the Cowboys in a prime time NFC East early-season matchup on Monday Night Football.

Timm Hamm

In this story:

The Dallas Cowboys headed north for a Monday Night Football matchup against the New York Giants in Dallas' first road game of the season. ... and Dallas wins, 23-16 with some late-game heroics.

One key: Micah Parsons, playing sick, being part of a defense that now leads the NFL with 13 sacks in three games.

The Cowboys have 13 sacks in three games, which leads the NFL. DeMarcus Lawrence had three of them on Monday, and Micah - playing on a pitch count after dealing with an illness - was "60 percent'' but still effective.

Said Parsons: "I'm good enough to play my game and people can't tell the difference. I think me at 60 percent is better than most people's 100 (percent). 

"I don’t care where I'm at. I just want to play."

More on the game, including CeeDee Lamb's redemption, here and below, as it unfolded ...

The Cowboys have owned the Giants over the last five seasons, winning 9 of the last 10 games against New York. Beating Dallas on Monday Night Football would go a long way for the Giants earning some respectability in the NFL in new coach Brian Daboll's first season.

"This is an important game," Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy told reporters. "It's a division game. It's our first division game. It's ‘Monday Night Football.' They're 2-0. 

"You look at all of those things, at the end of the day, this is going to come down to us playing to our playstyle, play to our discipline and we feel like we'll do what we need to do to win the game."

Backup quarterback Cooper Rush performed well in his second NFL start last week against Cincinnati and will get the start once again while starter Dak Prescott prepares for a full recovery.

The stitches in Dak's surgically repaired thumb and hand were scheduled to be removed on Monday, meaning the timeline for Prescott's return is sooner than later.

The Giants boast a 2-0 record to start a season for the first time since 2016. The team has played well behind quarterback Daniel Jones with some close, but impressive wins over Carolina and Tennessee. New York also offers the league's leading rusher in Saquon Barkley.

Dallas' defense has been dominant as expected, with just two touchdowns allowed through two weeks. That's the fewest of any Cowboys squad since 1996.

This will be the Cowboys' 84th appearance on Monday Night Football, which is second only to the Miami Dolphins, with 86.

FIRST QUARTER: Cowboys 3, Giants 0

Dallas begins the game with the ball and starts at its own 25 after the touchback. Cooper hits Lamb for 15 yards then Pollard rattles off a run of 14 yards as the Cowboys offense starts hot.

Elliott runs for two then six before a holding penalty on Farniok halts the drive and moves the ball back to the DAL 46 for 2nd and 18.

On 3rd and 18 from the DAL 46, Cooper finds Hendershot for just four yards bringing up a punting situation for Dallas.

The Anger punt goes 39 yards to the NYG 12 where the Giants takeover.

On New York's first play of the game, Jones finds James for a gain of eight yards, the Barkley loses a yard on 2nd down after a tackle for a loss by Bohanna.

On 3rd and 3, the Jones pass to Barkley was incomplete, but Dallas was called for holding (A. Barr) gifting the Giants an automatic 1st down.

Demarcus Lawrence sacked Jones for four yards on the very next play. On 2nd and 14, Barkley took a screen pass to the 33 just short of a first down. Jones then found Shepard for the first down with a gain of 10.

On 3rd and 10, Jones was pressured by Vander Esch and Jones had to throw the ball away.

Gano's 47-yard field goal is BLOCKED by Armstrong. Dallas will take over from its own 29.

Elliott runs for six yards on 1st down then six more on 2nd down. The Giants are called for illegal use of hands for another five yards for Dallas.

Rush found Brown for a 19-yard gain to the NYG 27, then Brown got loose again for another 14 yards to the NYG 6.

Two Elliott runs up the middle took Dallas to the NYG 3 for a 3rd and Goal, and the Cowboys were guilty of a false start penalty (Hendershot) to the NYG 8.

Rush's 3rd down pass was deflected, and rookie Tyler Smith was guilty of a holding call which was declined for 4th down.

FIELD GOAL COWBOYS: Maher is good from 26 for a 3-0 Dallas lead with 2:09 left in the first quarter. The scoring drive went 55 yards in 10 plays and took 5:31 off the clock.

NY takes over from their own 25 after the touchback.

On 3rd and 5 from the 30, Jones finds Sills for six yards and a 1st down. The referees missed the NY offensive line moving early before the snap.

Barkley ran up the middle for three yards as the first quarter expired.

End of the first quarter

SECOND QUARTER: Cowboys 6, Giants 3

Matt Breida runs for three yards on 3rd and 1 for the NY 1st down, then Jones scrambled for 11 yards to the DAL 41 on 2nd and 10 from the NYG 48.

Barkley carried for nine and three to the DAL 29 and a 1st and 10, but Jones is sacked by Armstrong for a loss of one yard. Jones found Bellinger on 2nd down for six yards.

On 3rd and 5, Jones' pass is tipped by Donovan Wilson and falls incomplete. Jones was under pressure from Demarcus Lawrence.

FIELD GOAL GIANTS: Gano's kick is good from 42 for a 3-3 tie with 11:17 left in the first half. The scoring drive goes 51 yards in 14 plays and took 5:52 off the clock.

The Cowboys take over from their own 25 and Pollard runs for 46 yards to the NYG 17 off a great block from newcomer offensive tackle Jason Peters.

The Dallas drive stalls at the NYG 10 as Noah Brown fell down in the end zone after an obvious pass interference on the Giants, but of course, it's not called.

FIELD GOAL COWBOYS: Maher is good from 28 to give the Cowboys a 6-3 lead with 9:09 left in the half. The scoring drive goes 53 yards in five plays and takes 2:08 off the clock.

New York begins its drive from the 25 after the touchback.

On 3rd and 13 from the NYG 22, Jones passes incomplete to James. Parsons absolutely blew up Daniel Jones and was a step late from the sack.

Gillan punts 55 yards to the DAL 23, out of bounds. 1st and 10, Cowboys.

Pollard got the ball up to the DAL 28 but a holding call on Hendershot then a false start on Smith gives the Cowboys a 2nd and 15 from the 18.

Rush hit Ferguson for eight yards to the DAL 21, then Elliott ran for 27 yards to the DAL 48 for a 1st down.

Lamb had yet another head-scratching drop as the ball hits his hands for a deep gain inside the 20. The drive ends with another Lamb drop bringing up a 4th and 10 from the NYG 40.

The Giants take over from their own 25 after the touchback with 2:30 left in the half.

Jones scrambles for one yard to the NYG 21. 

Two-Minute Warning

On 1st and 10 from the NYG 45, Lawrence sacked Jones for a loss of 3.

On 3rd and 23 from the NYG 32, Jones found Barkley for 21 yards to the DAL 47 with 10 seconds left in the half.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS to COWBOYS: 4th and 2 from the DAL 47, Jones is incomplete to Golladay.

Dallas takes over at its own 47 and Rush finds Fehoko for 12 yards to the NYG 41 to set up a FG try.

Maher's 59-yard field goal is no good.

HALFTIME

THIRD QUARTER: Giants 13, Cowboys 13

The Giants begin the half with the ball at their own 25 after the touchback, and found their way up to the DAL 43 and Donovan Wilson sacked Jones for a loss of 11 yards.

Demarcus Lawrence was injured on the play.

FIELD GOAL GIANTS: Gano hits from 51 to tie the game at 6 in this field goal fest with 9:02 left in the third quarter. The scoring drive went 42 plays in 10 yards and took 5:58 off the clock.

Demarcus Lawrence is being evaluated for a left foot injury.

Dallas takes over from its own 25 after the touchback and Elliott loses three yards on 1st and 10.

Rush throws incomplete to Lamb and Tolbert for Dallas' first 3-and-out of the night.

Angers punt goes 54. yards to the NYG 23.

Jones finds sills for 14 yards and Barkley runs for another six. Bellinger then gets a first down with a six-yard catch on 2nd and 4 from the DAL 42.

TOUCHDOWN GIANTS: Barkley runs to the right side for 36 yards and the touchdown. The Gano extra point is good for a 13-6 Giants lead with 5:31 left in the third quarter. The scoring drive went 77 yards in six plays and took 2:29 off the clock.

The Cowboys take over from their own 25 after the touchback.

Rush hit Lamb for 17 yards then Elliott carried for another seven yards to the NYG 49.

Rush found Hendershot on 1st and 10 for an 18-yard gain for 29 yards inside the Giants 20, then Rush hit Brown for a 12-yard gain to the NYG 6.

TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS: Elliott runs right side for one yard for the touchdown. The Maher kick is good to tie the game 13-13 with 27 seconds left in the third quarter. The scoring drive went 75 yards in nine plays and took 5:04 off the clock.

New York took over at its own 25 after the touchback.

Jones found Myarick for six yards to the 31, but Donovan Wilson was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty moving the ball up another 15 yards to the NYG 46.

End of the third quarter

FOURTH QUARTER: Cowboys 23, Giants 13

The Giants' drive stalls at the 50 and New York is forced to punt. the Gillan kick goes 39 yards to the DAL 11.

Cooper found Lamb for 17 yards to the NYG 47, but the drive stalls at the 41 after an incomplete pass on 3rd and 4.

The Cowboys tried for the first down on 4th and 4 and Rush threw complete to Lamb right at the marker and was given the 1st down.

Rush completed to Lamb for 26 yards to the NYG 1.

TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS: Rush completes to Lamb who performs a circus catch in the end zone  The Maher extra point is good for a 20-13 Cowboys lead with 8:30 left in the game.

New York takes over from their own 25 after the touchback.

The Giants go three-and-out after a couple of drops by Golladay and Shepard, and a delay of game penalty on New York.

The Gillan punt goes 41 yards to the NYG 35 and Turpin returns it 28 yards to the NYG 35.

The Cowboys return the three-and-out bringing up a FG attempt.

FIELD GOAL COWBOYS: Maher's 44-yard kick is good for a 23-13 lead with 5:58 left in the game. The scoring drive went nine yards in four plays and took 1:34 off the clock.

New York get the ball at the 25 after the touchback.

On 2nd and 5 Jones rushed for seven yards to the DAL 47. On the very next play, a Dorance Armstrong sack was negated by a Kelvin Joseph facemask call, moving the Giants to the DAL 32.

Jones rushed to the DAL 22 for a 1st down. Under pressure from the Cowboys' defense, Jones threw the ball away on the next two plays to avoid sacks. 

On 3rd and 10 from the DAL 22, Jones is sacked, but the Giants were called for holding and Jones was called for intentional grounding.

FIELD GOAL GIANTS: Gano's 51-yard kick is good for a 23-16 Cowboys lead with 3:37 left in the game. The scoring drive went 42 yards in nine plays and took 2:21 off the clock.

The Cowboys begin their next drive at the 25 after the touchback. Pollard ran for three yards and the Giants called their second timeout.

Pollard ran for 10 yards on 2nd and 7 for a first down, then ran for another two yards and the Giants took their final timeout with 2:46 left on the clock.

Elliott ran for one yard for a 3rd and 7 from the DAL 41.

Two-Minute Warning

On 3rd and 7 Rush hit Ferguson but he didn't get the first down and he went out of bounds to stop the clock.

Dallas is forced to punt with 1:52 left and the Giants have no timeouts.

The Anger punt goes to the NYG nine yard line.

Jones hits Shepard for 12 yards to the NYG 21.

INTERCEPTION COWBOYS: Jones' pass is intercepted by Trevon Diggs at the NYG 35.

Shepard was injured on the play and carted off the field.

Rush and the Cowboys downed the ball in victory formation and ran out the clock.

END OF GAME

Follow Timm Hamm on Twitter and Instagram

Follow Cowboys / Fish on Facebook

Subscribe to the Cowboys Fish Report on YouTube for daily Cowboys live-stream podcasts and reports!

Published
Timm Hamm
TIMM HAMM

Home/News