Game Notes: Cee-Deep Ball, Swipe For Jaylon?

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Sunday was certainly not the NFL debut for Jabril Cox. But in a way, it felt like his biggest opportunity of his young career, especially with the added defensive snaps he got with Jaylon Smith no longer on the team.

Cox made a big hit on Daniel Jones on a goal-line play, showing off his sideline-to-sideline speed. Jones actually suffered a concussion on the play and didn't return.

Cox was also involved on a big fourth-down stop near the goal line in the fourth quarter.

"My main assignment was to have leverage on everything," Cox recalled. "I had the tight end, and once I saw he was blocking, my next read was the quarterback. I just wanted to get to the outside of him as fast as I could, before he could score."

Cox, a fourth-round pick from LSU, said he figured to have a bigger role this week after Smith's release.

"Jaylon, he's a great guy. I was sad to see him go," Cox said. "It's always next man up. This is a business, and the next guy has to be prepared and ready."

-Nick Eatman (10/10)

Swipe For Jaylon?

If he did it, he doesn't remember it. Or maybe he did it self-consciously.

But after a fourth-quarter tackle near the goal line, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch was seen quickly doing the swipe move, a trademark play from Jaylon Smith, who was recently cut this week.

"Honestly, I don't know, it was all kind of a blur in my head," said Vander Esch, a teammate of Smith's since he was drafted in 2018 "And someone said something to me and I didn't know what they were talking about, but maybe it just came out so."

Vander Esch played with high emotion on Sunday, and credits his teammates for being the more physical team.

"I thought we controlled the tempo," he said. "I think we brought it to them every single snap the way we could, and I think we out-hit them tonight."

-Nick Eatman

Neal Hits Back

While linebacker Keanu Neal admitted he was hit hard by COVID-19 and missing three games, he came back in a big way on Sunday.

Maybe it didn't exactly show up in the stat sheet, but it was probably felt by the Giants players as Neal had some big hits on defense, something he considers a trademark.

"Yes, I take pride in my physical presence," Neal said after the game. "I felt like it was there a little today, but there could have been more. I feel like I could've done a better job with that part."

With Neal's return, the Cowboys were able to get him back in the rotation more, especially after the recent release of veteran Jaylon Smith. Neal said the Cowboys used a combination of players in the nickel and dime defenses.

"I feel like we can all play each the position," he said. "When Micah and Leighton are in, I'm on the sidelines supporting. When I'm in with Leighton or Micah, however it works, we're in and we're executing and doing a great job. Each player can play each position."

-Nick Eatman (10/10)

Giant Setbacks

The Giants offense was already down two of their top three receivers with Sterling Shepherd and Darius Slayton missing from action.

So the last thing they could use Sunday was any more injuries on offense. So what happened? They only lost their star tailback, starting quarterback, top wide receiver and then another receiver later in the game due to an ejection.

The big blow came early on when Saquon Barkley left with an ankle injury. Daniel Jones suffered a concussion before halftime and Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney both left the game before the finish.

Behind backup QB Mike Glennon, the Giants battled to stay in the game, but ultimately it was Glennon's two interceptions – one returned for a touchdown – and a turnover on downs that doomed them on Sunday.

-Nick Eatman (10/10)

Pass > Catch

CeeDee Lamb doesn't hesitate much when he's on the field. He didn't hesitate at all when asked a question in his post-game press conference.

The second-year receiver was asked what was the better play – his catch for a touchdown or the throw Dak Prescott made to get the ball to him.

"The pass was definitely better," Lamb said. "He put the ball right on the money, I just had to run up under it, he made my job easy."

Lamb described the touchdown catch, his first since Week 1, as a pitch-and-catch with the quarterback.

"Really got singled up, saw that I was man to man with one-high (safety) and I did everything I could to win on my route, trusting that Dak was going to see me, and he did," he said. "I just saw the ball in the air, and I knew that it was an opportunity."

-Nick Eatman (10/10)