NFL Week 5: Game Recap: Cowboys 44, Giants 20
Photo by K.D Drummond
October 10, 2021: Arlington, Texas, USA Dallas Cowboys dominated the New York Giants 44-20 and advance onto the season 4-1. The Dallas Cowboys already came into their matchup against the New York Giants as the better team on paper with players such as quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliot, but when an already banged-up Giants team at the loss of quarterback Daniel Jones, running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver Kenny Gollady to injury, the task to the visitors to win the game seemed like a tough one to play through, to say the least.
However New York was certainly up for the tough fight—this is the NFC East after all—in the end, the Dallas Cowboys dominated their rivals. Injuries or not, The Giants had no answer for the Cowboys’ offense as Prescott and company racked up 515 total yards. After his devastating ankle injury against the New York Giants almost exactly a year ago, Dak Prescott continued his outstanding comeback by throwing 302 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for a 116.9 passing rate.
CeeDee Lamb, Dalton Schultz, and Amari Cooper earned at least 60 receiving yards with Lamb and Cooper also adding touchdowns to the record. Overall, seven different players caught a pass in the Cowboys’ multi-faceted attack. Meanwhile, Elliot ripped off 110 rushing yards, his second straight game topping the century mark, while also scoring both touchdowns on the rushing and receiving end.
However, things didn’t start off smoothly for the Cowboys, as their opening drive ended at midfield with a fourth and two tipped interceptions at the line. With two drives later, a snap to Prescott’s left got fumbled, ending a great scoring opportunity. On the defensive side, Dallas again recorded a pair of turnovers with interceptions by Diggs and Brown. Diggs became only the second player in team history to record a pick in each of the first five games of a season.
But through it all, the Cowboys’ defense held up pretty well. They kept the Giants’ offense muffled while the offense sorted out their issues by halftime, getting their heads back into the game giving Dallas the lead by seven. The second half was a pure example of what they're capable of. It was pure domination as Dallas dominated their third-straight opponent to improve their season 4-1.
Photo by: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
The Cowboys are now up +53 scoring on the season.
Dallas has committed to the run once again, striking in the passing game when deciding that bludgeoning the Giants’ defense into submission was the best plan of the day for the game. For the fourth-straight game of the season, Dallas has gained over 150 yards on the ground, this time 201 as Elliot and Pollard once again looked like an unstoppable team. Dallas wasn’t through, though. The offense went the distance and scored 98 yards in nine plays. A trick play saw wideout Cedrick Wilson caught with Noah Brown for a 22-yard completion before Wilson then caught one himself deep down the left of the sideline for 35 yards.
In the typical NFC East, the game got a little out there close to the end with the Giants’ Toney and Dallas’ safety Kazee both receiving unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, which ended up being an ejection for Toney because of him throwing a punch. That came during a possession that eventually led to a New York Giant touchdown. But of course, it was a little late for that. The Cowboys recovered and added another field goal thanks to Zuerlein from 31 yards, leaving 1:57 left in the game. Which was just enough time for Anthony Brown to pick off a pass from Glennon to receiver Collin Johnson and ran down the left sideline 45 yards for the first pick-six of his career.
With that, it brought to an end to another phenomenal performance by the Dallas Cowboys, proving yet again that they are a force to be reckoned with this season and could potentially go all the way to the top.
Next Game: Oct. 17th—3:25 p.m. Central @ New England Patriots
