ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys celebrated Thanksgiving with a 27-20 victory over their NFC East rivals, the New York Giants, at AT&T Stadium. The win was the first at home this season for the Cowboys, improving their record to 5-7, while the Giants, now at 2-10, continue to struggle.

Game Overview:

The game kicked off with the typical Thanksgiving atmosphere, another sold-out crowd on hand. The Cowboys quickly set the tone with their defense, as the offense only managed field goals early. The Giants, without their starting quarterback Daniel Jones and with Tommy DeVito out due to injury, saw Drew Lock under center. Lock mounted one good drive early to take a 7-3 lead and one good drive late to cut the lead to 27-20 late.

Overall the Giants offense was rattled by the pass rush and physical play from the Cowboys defense. The Cowboys ran the ball effectively with Rico Dowdle and controlled the game with their defense. The Giants attempted a comeback late, but down 17 in the 4th quarter was a task their offense couldn’t complete as Dallas ran clock down on offense in the end.

The Dallas defense largely kept its New York in check. The Giants were held to 247 yards of offense, although 80 of those came on New York’s final series with the game all but over.

Key Performances:

• Rico Dowdle: Dowdle became the first back to gain 100+ yards for Dallas in 26 games, rushing for 112 yards on 22 carries. His performance not only broke the one hundred yard mark but also included a crucial touchdown that helped maintain the Cowboys’ lead. Dowdle’s downhill running and ability to find gaps and evade tackles was pivotal in his “career day”.
• Cooper Rush: Filling in for Dak Prescott as the starting quarterback, Rush threw for 195 yards, completing 21 out of 36 passes with one touchdown pass. His game management was effective, avoiding turnovers and maintaining the lead.
• Brandin Cooks: Cooks finished with 3 receptions for 16 yards, but his TD catch in the red zone was critical.

• DeMarvion Overshown: The linebacker had a game to remember, recording nine tackles, recovering a fumble, and making a spectacular interception which he returned for a touchdown. This is the player the Cowboys were hoping for before his season-ending injury in preseason last year.
• Micah Parsons: Parsons was extremely active in the pass rush, recording 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits, keeping relentless pressure on QB Drew Lock.
• Eric Kendricks: Kendricks recorded 10 total tackles and a sack.
• Drew Lock: Lock passed for 178 yards, took 6 sacks, and threw one interception.
• Malik Nabers: Nabers had 8 catches for 69 yards.

Injuries Strike Again

Unfortunately the Cowboys were bitten by the injury bug again. Safety Juanyeh Thomas and cornerback Josh Butler headed to the locker room with apparent knee injuries. And although he remained on the sideline, with the big lead CeeDee Lamb sat out the fourth quarter after appearing to aggravate his right shoulder again.

Looking Ahead

This victory offers a glimmer of hope for the Cowboys as they head into an 11-day break at 5-7 before facing their next challenge. Believe it or not, with winnable games against the Cincinnati Bengals and Carolina Panthers the Cowboys could find themselves back in the mix. With the amount of injuries and without their franchise QB Dak Prescott, Cowboys fans are mostly happy just enjoying this one. For the Giants, this nightmare season continues but Drew Lock’s competitive play may give them some hope as they have 11 days to prepare for the New Orleans Saints.

Photos courtesy of AP, NFL, ESPN, Yahoo Sports, NBC, and Dallas Morning News. 

“Cowboy Regg” – Co-Host of the “Sons of the Star” Podcast. The podcast is available on Apple, YouTube, and Spotify. 

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