New York Giants Week 4: Keys to Beating the Dallas Cowboys

What must the New York Giants do to secure a win over the Dallas Cowboys?

Dec 17, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; A detailed view of a New York Giants helmet before the game against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New York Giants might still be celebrating the rush of their first win of the 2024 season, but they can’t spend too long on it with their first primetime matchup looming in Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night.

After dominating the Browns in their home opener, Dallas lost two straight contests to New Orleans and Baltimore, with both defeats featuring horrific performances on both sides of the football. 

Nothing could be better for them than facing the Giants, a team they had two very lopsided victories over in 2023.

In Week 1, the Giants were hammered 40-0 on their home turf in a game that started with a blocked Graham Gano field goal returned for a touchdown.

Two months later, the Cowboys handled them again 49-17 on Thanksgiving to push their series record to 75-47-2.

The Cowboys' recent dominance has been largely due to their talented offense, which is highlighted by a solid offensive line and receiver corps. Last season, the franchise ranked 16th and fourth in pass block and run block win rate, respectively.

They also finished in the top 10 in total offensive production and every major passing statistic, behind quarterback Dak Prescott and his weapons, CeeDee Lamb and Brandon Cooks.

Those numbers have not changed much through the first three games of this season. The bigger issue has been their defense, which has fallen from first to 21st in pass rush win rate and allowed the 30th most points and 28th most total yards in the NFL in that same span. 

While the Cowboys hope it all comes together again in East Rutherford, the Giants will have to react quickly and make the proper adjustments to stop the horrendous losing streak and take advantage of Dallas’ early stumble. These are the keys they’ll need to cover in Week 4 if they covet the long-forsaken win in this primetime divisional matchup. 

Sep 22, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Giants running back Devin Singletary (26) spikes the ball after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Establish the Run 

In the last two weeks, the Giants have gashed their opponents for over 110 yards on the ground, which has been a decent source of their scoring in the red zone. Most of that work has been done by lead rusher Devin Singletary, who has collected 160 yards and two touchdowns in his first three stints in the Big Apple. 

On the other hand, the Cowboys defense has been throttled in the trenches by some of the league's elite ball carriers.

They gave up 190 yards and four touchdowns to the Saints in a 44-19 Week 2 rout and, last Sunday, another 274 yards and three scores to Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and the Ravens despite their near offensive comeback in the second half.

Thanks to their improved offensive line, which continues to provide strong efforts for the team. The Giants have drastically improved the efficiency of their rushing attack. With a unit that now ranks fourth in run block win rate, New York holds the 19th-positioned run operation, averaging 105 yards per game and 4.2 yards per attempt. This allows them to extend drives and eat up more clock with the lead in their hands. 

Thus, the Giants need to start the game on Thursday quickly. Dallas’s previous two opponents didn’t hide that game plan and still managed to catch the Cowboys off guard for a combined 456 yards and seven scores, with most of the damage coming from a lack of gap control and setting the edge from poor tackling. 

If that continues, the Giants can find payday with a ball carrier that can do the same thing in Singletary. In three games, Singletary has amassed an average of 3.93 yards after contact, with 165 yards total in that category, a number that accounts for most of his overall production and was a big factor in the win over the Browns on Sunday. 

At some point, Daniel Jones will have to test his arm with one of the best turnover-facing defenses in the league to complement the affair. A functioning run game will take off some of the pressure, and the Giants' offense can have another commentary game that could lead to an upset win. 

Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) before the game against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Limiting Micah Parsons on the Edge

Last week, it was Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett. Now, the focus turns to limiting the impact of another familiar stud pass rusher in Micah Parsons. 

Since he arrived in the NFL three years ago from Penn State, Parsons has been one of the biannual thorns in the Giants offense’s side.

In six matches with New York, he has recorded 16 total tackles and three sacks, all of which came in two of the last three meetings. He has also been a consistent source of pressure for the Cowboys' defensive front against woeful protection on the Giants' side.

Parsons has played 2,851 total snaps in his first four seasons, 1,395 coming in pass rush, and built three straight campaigns of double-digit sacks, resulting in PFF pass-rushing grades of 92.1 and higher. This fall, he sits 13th among active edge defenders with an overall grade of 81.9 and is fourth in the NFC, one spot ahead of Giants edge man Brian Burns. 

Parsons has seen some unusual struggles in the first few games of this season, posting just nine tackles, one sack, one pass deflection, and a missed tackle rate of 26.7 percent, which is a career-high.

Yet, there is something about him facing the Giants that can make him come alive and be a big threat.

For one thing, he has excellent instincts and speed off the span to gain the advantage on the blocker and beat him around the edge. Often, that can tempt turnover-prone quarterbacks like Daniel Jones to push the ball out faster, and if the read isn’t right on the route, it can lead to a miscue under pressure. 

Parsons also likes to unveil a Rolodex of swim moves to redirect himself into the pocket and confuse the most talented offensive tackles, including Andrew Thomas, who figures to match up with the linebacker again this Sunday. This skill helped him log the league’s best double-team-win rate last season at 35 percent and pile up a 23.1 percent pressure against New York in last year’s 40-0 opener at MetLife Stadium. 

It might be tougher for Parsons to get to the quarterback whenever he wants this time, as the Giants offensive line is much improved and has contained opponents to eight sacks in three contests. As long as Thomas and company keep up their pace, Jones should have less of a problem running away from endless pressure from Parsons, and the passing game can have the time to create some damage on a shaky Cowboys unit that hasn’t found many answers.

Oct 1, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) celebrates with Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) after throwing a touchdown pass during the first quarter against the New England Patriots at AT&T Stadium. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Contain the Dak Prescott-CeeDee Lamb Connection

The Dallas Cowboys offense prides itself on having a group of skilled playmakers who can produce for the team every Sunday, but none serve as the heart of the operation more than quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. 

In their five seasons playing together for Dallas, the duo have played an instrumental role in boosting each other’s annual production. For Lamb, his close partnership with Prescott has resulted in 408 receptions for 5,363 yards (average 13.1) and 33 touchdowns in 69 games with the Cowboys, making him a top-15 pass catcher in each of his last three seasons.

In 2023, Lamb lit the NFL ablaze with a career-high 135 receptions for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns in a second straight year of 17 games, placing second behind only Miami’s Tyreek Hill in the leaderboard. His efforts helped boost Prescott to the most passing touchdowns thrown last season (36) and have the pair inching closer to hanging with some of the top quarterback-wide receiver tandems in the NFL’s storied history. 

When the Cowboys square off with the Giants, Lamb tends to erupt for some of his top individual performances. He has participated in the NFC East rivalry eight times already and posted five games of at least six receptions, 80 yards, and a double-digit average catch. His total sheet against the Giants reads 52 catches for 722 yards and three touchdowns, and it is a line he hopes to add to against a weakened secondary that is adding on the injuries.

As New York prepares for Thursday’s matchup, they are slated to be without two of their most experienced slot corners, Dru Phillips and Adoree Jackson, who are both dealing with calf ailments. The expectation is for Cor'Dale Flott to play the slot and Nick McCloud, returning from a two-week absence due to a knee injury, to play outside.

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