EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – He started the day on the practice. He started the game as a backup.
But cornerback Amani Oruwariye ended the night as one of the heroes of the game, sealing the Cowboys' 20-15 win with an interception near the goal line in the final seconds.
What a whirlwind for the veteran, who actually spent last season with the Giants. But in his first game with the Cowboys, he found himself playing the second half – and was a frequent target for the New York passing game.
"Oh, I knew I was going to get targeted," Oruwariye said. "If they have (Trevon) Diggs on the other side, I knew I was going to get my fair share of work. Like I said, I was trying to get myself mentally ready and kind of knock off the rust, which I felt like I did. And then I got in my groove, felt comfortable out there and went on from there."
He joined the Cowboys before the start of the season, but has been on the practice squad for the first three games. However, with DaRon Bland on his fourth game on IR, coupled with Caelen Carson suffering a shoulder injury, it forced the Cowboys to elevate a corner from the practice squad.
They chose Oruwariye, one of three cornerbacks on the practice squad.
"This morning they let me know. It was a possibility on Wednesday, but they let me know this morning that it was a go," Oruwariye said. "So I just tried to get my mind right and get ready for the game."
But to start the game, the Cowboys went with Andrew Booth at cornerback. He played the first half but gave up a few plays, including a bomb on the first drive to rookie Malik Nabers. After halftime, with the Cowboys leading 14-9, they made the switch to Oruwariye, who opened up the third quarter at left corner.
"I knew they were going to come right at me," he said. "I expected that. But I started to get more comfortable as the game went on."
Oruwariye finished the game with three tackles, including a tackle for loss that led to one of the Giants' five field goals.
But his night ended with a game-sealing interception off Daniel Jones at the 4-yard line with just five seconds left.
"When the ball's in the air, it's 100 percent going to me. It's not a 50-50 ball," he said. "I'm trying to get it. I've been doing it since college. I feel confident in my ball skills. Once I saw they threw the ball up in the air, I just it as an opportunity to make a play."
An opportunity he wasn't sure he was even going to get when the day, or the game, began.
