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The Dallas Cowboys picked up their second win in a row by feasting on the New York Giants in a 27-20 Thanksgiving Day victory. That marked the Cowboys' eighth straight win over their division rivals and the 15th in their last 16 meetings.
For the second consecutive week, the Dallas defense largely kept its opponent in check. The Giants were held to 247 yards of offense, although 80 of those came on New York's final series with the game basically in hand. Dallas also recorded two turnovers and six sacks. Micah Parsons continued to do what Micah Parsons does, pressuring Giants quarterback Drew Lock all day and posting 1.5 sacks, four quarterback hits and a tackle for loss. Linebacker Eric Kendricks had a team-high 10 tackles with a sack and a forced fumble. Overall, the Cowboys held Lock to just 178 yards passing with no touchdowns and an interception for a 66.9 passer rating.
Meanwhile, Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush was again efficient and, well, secure, throwing for just 195 yards but not turning the ball over. He spread the ball around with four different targets surpassing 30 yards receiving, KaVontae Turpin leading the effort with four catches for 53 yards.
The real workhorse, though, was running back Rico Dowdle, who set a career-high with 112 rushing yards off of 22 carries, an impressive 5.1 average. In doing so, he snapped the Cowboys' 26-game streak, including last season's playoff game, without a 100-yard rusher.
Behind that effort, Dallas finished with 317 yards of total offense, converted 47 percent of its third downs and won the time of possession, 31:36 to 28:24.
Unfortunately, the injury bug bit the Cowboys again with safety Juanyeh Thomas and cornerback Josh Butler heading to the locker room with apparent knee injuries. And although he remained on the sideline, with the big lead CeeDee Lamb sat out the fourth quarter after appearing to aggravate his right shoulder.
First Quarter
The Cowboys jumped out to quick 3-0 lead when Rush led the offense on an 11-play, 65-yard drive. He threw the ball nine times with six completions, the longest a 17-yard dart to Lamb on third-and-4 at the Giants' 44-yard line. But the drive stalled at the New York 4, leaving it to Brandon Aubrey to kick the chip-shot 23-yard field goal.
While Dallas couldn't get across the goal line on its first possession, the Giants did. The Cowboys did their work through the air, but New York stuck to the ground, running on 10 of 13 plays during the 70-yard series. That included a 6-yard run on fourth-and-1 as well as a 29-yard scramble by Lock on third-and-6, which set the visitors up at the Dallas 1. Running back Tyrone Tracy finished off the drive with a run up the middle to go on top, 7-3.
Second Quarter
As the clock ticked over into the second frame, the Cowboys were again on the move. Rico Dowdle powered up the middle for a 22-yard gain, the team's longest run of the season, and then came back with another 13-yard gain to the New York 33-yard line. But again the drive stalled in the red zone, Aubrey having to provide another three points with a 33-yard field goal.
After a brutal injury to the safety and key special teamer Thomas, who had to be carted off the field, DeMarvion Overshown jumpstarted the crowd with a beauty of an interception. The linebacker tipped an attempted screen pass up into the air, hauled it in himself and then returned the turnover 23 yards for the pick-6, his first career touchdown.
The two sides traded possessions with the Giants punting twice and the Cowboys turning it over on downs and a punt of their own. But gaining the field-position advantage, New York was eventually able to close the gap before the half with a 46-yard field goal, Dallas going into the break with a 13-10 lead.
Third Quarter
After Lainey Wilson and Jelly Roll kicked off The Salvation Army's 2024 Red Kettle campaign with an unforgettable halftime show, the third quarter couldn't have gone much better for the Cowboys.
Though New York started with the ball, Kendricks strip-sacked Lock with Overshown falling on the ball at the Giants' 38-yard line. Set up with the great field position, Dallas needed just six plays to reach pay dirt.
But the Cowboys almost suffered a disastrous turnover of their own. On second-and-goal at the 6-yard line, Rush took off for the goal line, only to have the ball punched out with the Giants recovering the fumble. However, upon review, the officials ruled the quarterback's knee was down, so Dallas retained possession. On the very next snap, Rush found Brandin Cooks streaking to the back-left corner of the end zone, his touchdown bumping the margin to double-digits.
Which soon enough became an unsurmountable 27-10 advantage. On their next series, the Cowboys crossed the goal line again, thanks to a nine-play, 70-yard drive. The big blow was a 36-yard completion to Jalen Tolbert down the left sideline to the Giants' 15-yard line. Dowdle then went on to knock out the last 4 yards with a power run up the middle for the score.
Fourth Quarter
When the final 15 minutes started, New York was again threatening, having reached the Dallas 25-yard line. But with Micah Parsons promptly dropping Lock for a sack, followed by a delay of game penalty, the Giants would wind up having to kick a 47-yard field goal, still down by two touchdowns.
Make that one. With just over two minutes left in the game, New York was back in the end zone. Lock engineered an eight-play, 80-yard drive, completing six-of-eight pass attempts before scrambling around right end the last 8 yards for the touchdown.
But once the Cowboys got the ball back, they never relinquished it. On third-and-2 at their own 38-yard line with two minutes left, Cooks made a beautiful diving catch for the first down. Ball game, the Cowboys winning 27-20.
Happy Thanksgiving!
