Giants Face Uphill Battle as They Head Into Jerry World

This week, the Giants are determined to bounce back after a harsh defeat at the hands of the Washington Commanders. On Sunday, New York will travel to Dallas for a 1:00 p.m. EST kickoff, facing yet another formidable division rival in the Cowboys. Dallas poses a significant challenge for the Giants, having pushed the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles to the limit in the season opener. In fact, the Cowboys nearly secured a win if not for several costly self-inflicted mistakes that ultimately swung the game in Philadelphia’s favor.

The Cowboys come into this Week 2 matchup well-rested, having played on opening Thursday night, where they narrowly fell 24-20 to the Eagles. This week's game also marks Dallas’ home opener, while the Giants will be playing their second straight divisional road game to start the season. Historically, Dallas has dominated this rivalry recently, posting a 9-1 record against New York since 2020. Notably, the Giants haven’t won in Dallas since 2016—the same season they last swept the Cowboys. That 2016 Giants team, led by Eli Manning at quarterback and featuring stars like Victor Cruz and Odell Beckham Jr., stands in stark contrast to the current roster. Since Brian Daboll took over as head coach in 2022, the Cowboys have held the upper hand decisively, outscoring the Giants 187-88 in their matchups.

The Giants’ Week 1 performance against the Commanders was particularly dismal offensively, managing only six points and failing to generate any real momentum. On the defensive side, they surrendered a troubling 220 yards on the ground, with 102 of those rushing yards coming specifically on first-down plays. This vulnerability on early downs is a critical concern heading into Dallas’ backfield-heavy offense. Expect the Cowboys to continue pounding the run, using it as a springboard to set up play-action passes. This strategy will allow quarterback Dak Prescott to expertly dissect the Giants’ secondary, especially targeting the intermediate routes with precision. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has consistently been a thorn in New York’s side, producing multiple standout performances against them over the years. There’s little reason to believe his impact won’t continue in this matchup, as he remains a deadly weapon the Giants’ defense must account for throughout the game.

As things stand, it’s hard for me to see an outcome where New York stays in this game if things get out of hand early on. The G-Men offensively looked completely clueless in Week One, and with a defense that struggles to stop the run, time of possession is going to play a serious factor. It’s looking rough for the boys in blue to get this season started on the right foot.