The New York Giants on SI writer shares thoughts on Dallas Cowboys and TNF expectations

To be honest, I don’t understand half of what the Cowboys do. They played games with CeeDee Lamb, which I thought looked bad. They retained Mike McCarthy, who like Dak, hasn’t had as much success in the postseason as I’m sure Cowboys fans would like, even though Belichick is out there. And I don’t understand what they did with their hasty attack. So yes, I would say the criticism is valid since it seems like the Cowboys didn’t have a plan to restructure their roster.

What is the biggest weakness in the Cowboys defense that the Giants can exploit?

I will choose pass defense. With the Week 1 win over the Browns, who just beat the Giants, the Cowboys have allowed an opposing passer rating of 134.8 and are allowing 7.8 yards per pass attempt, seventh-worst in the NFL, according to NFL stats.

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Don’t you think Giants head coach and play caller Brian Daboll isn’t making fun of this, especially considering how rookie Malik Nabers has played so far and what that young man has done for the Giants’ passing offense?

Who is one of the little-known Giants players who could surprise Cowboys fans on Thursday night?

It’s a tough question, but I’ll say running back Devin Singletary. The Cowboys’ run defense hasn’t been very good – it ranks last in the NFL. And while no one confuses Singletary with Saqon Barkley, I feel like Singletary doesn’t get enough respect for the type of game he plays. Based on at least 40 rushing attempts (a sample of 19 players), Singletary ranks second in yards after contact (3.93) behind the Vikings’ Aaron Jones. Singletary also ranks second with 17 missed forced tackles, behind the 49ers’ Jordan Mason.

How do you think the game will go on Thursday night? Biggest key to victory for New York?

I’m optimistic, but I’m also trying not to get overly optimistic because there are some concerns on the Giants’ side. First, their shooting situation is worrisome – last week Greg Joseph, who was placed on IR after Graham Gano landed, missed a 48-yard field goal. And Joseph’s track record on field goals of 40 yards or more is about 74 percent, which isn’t what you want from your kicker. That’s why I’m worried the Giants could be at a disadvantage if this game comes down to a long field goal.

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I’m also worried about who will be covering CeeDee Lamb in the time slot. Right now, the Giants have their three best players on the injured list – Dru Phillips, Adoree’ Jackson and Nick McCloud – and I’m worried that Phillips (the starter) and Jackson might not be available in such a short week. That would mean the Giants would have to move Cor’Dale Flott from outside to the slot, now creating another hole on a unit where depth is still a glaring need.

The biggest key, however, is that the Giants need to take advantage of their drives inside the red zone. The Cowboys’ red zone defense is ranked 32nd, so when the Giants get into the red zone, I expect them to score every time, without exception.

The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants will kick off at MetLife Stadium at 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video.

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