Behind The Line: What Can Jason Garrett Dial Up?

Who's the Guy?

Despite his disappointing start, Daniel Jones is the key to the Giants' success. The second-year pro is a high IQ quarterback with enough athleticism and arm talent to create big plays on the perimeter. If given sufficient time in the pocket, he is certainly capable of effectively attacking a Cowboys' secondary that's been unable to keep the ball in front of the defense.

Don't Sleep On… Darius Slayton

The Giants' receiving leader (236 receiving yards and two scores) is an explosive pass catcher with big-play potential. Slayton routinely runs past defenders on vertical routes, exhibiting outstanding speed, quickness, and acceleration tracking down deep balls. With 10 touchdowns in 18 career games, he is a threat to score from anywhere on the field.

Know His Name… Leonard Williams

The former No.6 overall pick in the 2015 draft is the Giants' most talented defender along the frontline. The team acquired him in a trade from the New York Jets to stabilize their defensive interior as a pass-rushing threat but he's been a non-factor with only 2.5 sacks in a Giants' uniform. That said, Williams is talented enough to create disruption in one-on-one match-ups against slow-footed interior blockers.

Under Pressure… Jason Garrett

The Cowboys' former head coach returns to Big D to face his former squad. He must keep his emotions in check while finding a way to add some sizzle to an offense that's been punchless to this point. Without a host of weapons at his disposal, Garrett will need to dig deep into his playbook to throw out a few new tactics that could help his young squad build some confidence early and eventually put points on the board.

Numbers Game:

The Giants averaged the fewest points of any team in the league with a 11.8 points per game average. The offense's inability to score points has resulted in back to back games with fewer than 10 points and the unit hasn't come close to topping the 20-point mark this season. At a time in which offenses are lighting up scoreboards around the league, the Giants' pedestrian offense has a tough time stringing together first downs or scoring touchdowns.

Matchup to Watch… Amari Cooper vs. Giants' secondary

Since joining the Cowboys in 2018, Cooper has averaged 95.5 receiving yards per game in 10 games against NFC East opponents. He has single-handedly given divisional foes fits with his superb route-running skills and dynamic playmaking ability. The Giants must contain him to force Dak Prescott to rely on his complementary weapons in the passing game. Whether the Giants opt to play man or zone, the emphasis must be on neutralizing Cooper's impact on the passing game.

Offensive Strategy

The Giants' injury woes have robbed Jason Garrett of his top playmakers in the lineup. The loss of Saquon Barkley, Sterling Shepard, and others have forced the Giants' new offensive coordinator to play small ball with his crew. Garrett has attempted to scale back the playbook to help his young quarterback develop some confidence within a new scheme. Evan Engram and Darius Slayton are the only perimeter threats in the passing game but Devonta Freeman's presence and production as a runner could loosen the coverage on the outside. If the Giants' offensive line can sort out their issues in protection and on the ground, the Cowboys could be in for a street fight on Sunday.

Defensive Strategy

Patrick Graham is in charge of a hard-working unit that emphasizes effort and hustle over talent. The Giants utilize a blue-collar approach to overwhelm opponents with their physicality and toughness. The Ivy League grad features multiple schemes to create problems for quarterbacks while also maximizing the talent at his disposal. With Leonard Williams, Blake Martinez, and Kyler Fackrell providing energy upfront and Logan Ryan and James Bradbury adding wisdom and experience in the backend, the Giants have enough playmaker to pose problems for a careless offense that struggled taking care of the ball.