The Cowboys came into this game with an offensive line that had all of three practices together. But that all changed when center Phil Costa left the contest early when his back once again tightened up, and recently-traded-for Ryan Cook stepped into the lineup.
Overall, the offensive line did a really nice job of holding things together against a pass rush that is one of the best in the NFL. Tony Romo was able to buy time and second chances with his feet, while Dez Bryant, Kevin Ogletree and Miles Austin made plays against a Giants secondary that struggled to help their front.
Running back DeMarco Murray had some key runs that allowed the offense to stay ahead of the chains, which is a must when you play the Giants, and head coach Jason Garrett did a nice job of keeping balance in his play-calling. But, the offensive penalties are something that will need to be corrected quickly.
Defensively, the Cowboys were able to hold Manning and these receivers in check, a task that is never easy. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's subpackages were outstanding, and the pressure was consistent the majority of the time. The key was to make Giants' quarterback Eli Manning have to move off his spot, and they were able to do that.
Against the run, I thought that the defensive line and linebackers did a nice job of staying square and not getting turned. The Giants didn't hurt the Cowboys rushing the ball, which was something you had to be concerned about when facing New York running backs Ahmad Bradshaw and David Wilson.
