New York Giants Week 17 Matchup: First Look at Cowboys' Offense

The Cowboys offense is a little bit different since the last time the Giants saw them, but it's still a potent group that's been on a hot streak the last three weeks.

For the first time in a while, the New York Giants are playing a meaningful Week 17 game. The script has been unpredictable this season, as New York is 5-9 with a legitimate shot to win the NFC East.

If the Giants beat the surging Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium, and the Eagles defeat the possible Taylor Heinicke led Washington Football team on Sunday Night Football, the Giants will host the fifth seed in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

It won’t be easy. Dallas has won the last three games and has scored 30 points in each contest. The Giants scored 30 points once this season, and it was in their loss to Dallas.

The Cowboys are a team on the rise, and the Giants have slugged their way to a three game losing streak, so the Giants will need to mount an exceptional effort, but it is doable.

Dallas ranks 16th in points per game on the season (25.1 average), but they are fourth in the last three weeks with an average of 36. Andy Dalton has been playing solid football since his concussion and subsequent COVID-19 miss.

The offense has averaged 359.7 yards in the last three games and ranks 12th on the season (376). They have been passing for 264 yards on the season, ranking 7th, and they have 112 yards rushing, ranking 17th.

The Cowboys run a lot of 11 personnel, and the formation showcases their three star receivers Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb. Dallas likes to line Lamb in the slot and use him as the #3 receiver in 3x1 sets.

They had success utilizing Lamb on seam routes against the Giants earlier in the year. Lamb does a good job finding the void in Patrick Graham’s zone between the linebacker and safety.

It is common to see two-man route combinations like smash and hitch-seam while also seeing three-man combinations such as the sail concept. Spacing concepts will be used as well against the zone, and Dallas likes to push the ball vertical as well.

There will be quite a few four verts type of concepts to attack the 3-deep zone. The Giants must be in good coordination with their BANJO assignments because offensive coordinator Kellen Moore likes to run BUNCH and STACKS to gain leverage on defensive backs in communication isn’t perfect.

The rushing attack is a bit more horizontal with stretch zone concepts. There are elements of DUO blocking as well. The running backs are also involved in the screen game, so the Giants have to be aware of Elliot and Pollard on passing downs.

This could be Kellen Moore’s last game with Dallas because he’s interviewing at Boise State (his alma mater), and we know Jason Garrett will have extra incentive against his former team.

Quarterback

Dak Prescott’s injury hurt the Cowboys offense, but Andy Dalton is a competent backup quarterback. He has completed 65% of his passes for 1926 passing yards and a touchdown to interception ratio of 14-7.

In the last three games, he’s 7-1. He’s experienced, has movement skills, can still push the ball vertically, and has solid accuracy at all levels of the field. Like most quarterbacks, he can be rattled when he’s hit frequently, which isn’t the strength of this Giants defense.

He’s developed a nice rapport with all three of his stud receivers, so the Giants are going to have to find ways to slow down the passing attack and not have the communication mishaps that they suffered against Baltimore.

Running Backs

Both Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard have been effective, and some would argue that Pollard has been better. Elliot is the one with a $90 million contract with $50 guaranteed.

Pollard has averaged 4.4 yards per carry on the season and has five touchdowns with 420 yards on the ground, 174 through the air, and he hasn’t fumbled the football. Elliot has six fumbles, 937 yards on the ground (4.1 YPC), seven total touchdowns, and 319 yards through the air.

Pollard has more playmaking ability in terms of deep speed and burst. However, Elliott is still incredibly physical, brings a low center of gravity that assists his contact balance, and he’s competent in pass protection.

Pollard had his Elliott-less game against the 49ers, but the high paid back returned and played the majority of snaps against the Eagles last week.

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Wide Receivers

The three-headed monster of Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb will prove to be a lot on Sunday. Cooper is a precise route runner with good athletic ability and trustworthy hands.

He’s seen 121 targets and caught 86 of them for 1073 yards, along with five touchdowns. He has four games with double-digit targets and four games with over 100 yards receiving.

He will draw the number one cornerback most of the time if the Giants decide to shadow him with James Bradberry.

Gallup has been red hot recently, and especially last week against the Eagles. Gallup had six catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns and has four touchdowns since week 13.

He had one from week 1-12. Gallup has received 97 targets and caught 55 of them for 794 yards and five touchdowns. He’s a physical, big bodied receiver who wins at the catch point and plays on the boundary.

He may be the “least concerning” wide receiver of the three, but that’s no referendum on Gallup, but an acknowledgment of Lamb and Cooper.

Lamb is one of many excellent rookie wide receivers. He has 69 catches on 104 targets for 892 yards and five touchdowns. Lamb can win at the line of scrimmage, up his stem with route running, at the catch point with physicality, and in open space with athletic ability. He’s a star in the making for Dallas.

Expect to see him in the slot often, and expect the seam route to put stress on that deep middle of the field closed safety. If the Giants run Tampa-2 Robber, then Logan Ryan must be aware of Lamb and not allow him to break vertical into space.

The two other receivers are Cedrick Wilson and Noah Brown. Wilson hasn’t been targeted since the Vikings game but still earns snaps. Brown saw six targets two weeks ago, but none against the Eagles. Brown is a big-bodied receiver who they like to use as a blocker against smaller cornerbacks.

Tight Ends

After Jason Witten's departure in the offseason, Blake Jarwin was set to breakout, but he suffered an injury in week one against the Rams that forced him to miss the entire season.

Dalton Schultz has filled in well for Jarwin and has caught 56 of his 75 targets for 545 yards and four touchdowns. He’s more of a receiving tight end, but he can block adequately.

Dallas uses him on play-action boots to the flat, and most of his routes are within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage, but he has the athletic ability to be an intermediate threat.

Blake Bell is more of the blocking tight end. He has 110 yards on the season, but Dallas mainly uses him to seal the edge on their outside zone type of runs. Bell played about half the offensive snaps against Philadelphia and is important to the team’s ability to run the ball outside of the numbers.

Offensive Line

Dallas had their fair share of injuries in 2020. They lost their best and most versatile lineman, Zach Martin, left tackle Tyron Smith, right tackle La’El Collins, and center Joe Looney has been in and out of the lineup but is now back and is playing at a solid level.

The starting tackles are Terrance Steele and Brandon Knight. Both are playing better but have been liabilities.

Steele is a rookie undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech. He is a bit lumbering and raw. Steele has surrendered nine sacks this season and 47 pressures; his nine sacks ties with Andrew Thomas for first in the league.

Knight is a 2019 undrafted player out of Indiana. He has played significant snaps after Smith went down with an injury on the left side. He’s allowed 30 pressures and four sacks, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s got length, but his foot speed can be taken advantage of, which is similar to Steele, who plays on the right side.

Connor McGovern is the right guard, and Connor Williams is the left guard. The latter is the only Cowboys offensive lineman to play in every 2020 game. Williams is a 2018 second-round pick that can be good as a run blocker but is still a bit susceptible at times in pass protection.

He’s given up 27 pressures and three sacks. McGovern is a young player that has shown improvement over the season. He provides versatility, much like the rest of the players on the line. Both linemen are 23 years old, and they both show promise.

Joe Looney is the starting center. He missed Weeks 5-8 but has now returned and is playing well. He’s a solid overall center that won’t win with brute strength but is typically in a stable position. He’s only allowed 12 pressures but three sacks. Looney is one of their better offensive lineman with all the injuries. Rookie Wisconsin Badger Tyler Biadasz filled in nicely for Looney during his injury.