Cowboys Survive at Home in 40-37 Overtime Win vs. Giants

If you thought Week 1 was rough, multiply that infinity-fold and get what Week 2’s home opener was for the Dallas Cowboys. 

Facing a New York Giant team that scored just 6 points in Week 1 and had quarterback Russell Wilson go 17/37 for 168 yards and no touchdowns, the Cowboys made Wilson look like his Super Bowl 48 MVP self on Sunday. Wilson, 36 years old and a journeyman in recent years (2022-23 with the Denver Broncos, 2024 with the Pittsburgh Steelers), looked vintage to the tune of 450 passing yards (two off of his career-high of 452 yards, set on October 29, 2017 against the Houston Texans) on 30/41 with 3 touchdowns. Granted, his late interception in overtime - an ill-advised, off-target heave to the Cowboys’ Donovan Wilson - cost the Giants the game, but Wilson was the primary reason that the Giants had their chance to end their losing streak to the Cowboys that dates back to January of 2021. That was the last time that the Giants defeated their rival. 

Malik Nabers, who is Wilson’s top target, and Wan’Dale Robinson had exquisite games for the visitors - Nabers nine catches for 167 yards and two touchdowns and Robinson eight catches for 142 yards and a touchdown. Both were routinely left open down the field by a Cowboy secondary that was in a rather giving mood two months before Thanksgiving. 

On the Cowboys’ side, Dak Prescott completed 38/52 for 361 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He frequently looked for short completions, but his six-yard TD pass to George Pickens (5 catches, 68 yards) with 52 seconds remaining in regulation put the Cowboys up four, 34-30. Wilson then found Nabers for a 48-yard pass, forcing the Cowboys to get quickly down the field so that All-World kicker Brandon Aubrey could connect from 64 yards to send the game into the extra quarter. CeeDee Lamb caught nine balls for 112 yards and tight end Jake Ferguson nine for 78 yards. Javonte Williams ran the ball well, 18 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown. 

Kayvon Thibodeaux, Brian Burns, and Elijah Garcia registered sacks on Prescott, while the Cowboys’ putrid pass rush yielded two, in the form of Kenny Clark and James Houston. 

The Cowboy defense as they did in Week 1 allowed the opposition to have their way offensively, providing practically zero resistance. The linebackers aren’t the fastest and have trouble covering, and the corners - especially with DaRon Bland out - simply lack. Trevon Diggs was picked on by Wilson and Nabers and does not look like the same player that he was pre-2023’s knee injury. Granted, he is still coming off of a leg injury suffered last season. The Cowboy offensive line did play well, though both left tackle Tyler Guyton and right tackle Terence Steele need work. Center Cooper Beebe left the game late and was replaced by Brock Hoffman. Beebe was seen postgame being helped to the locker room. On Monday it was revealed that he will miss 6-8 weeks with a lateral sprain of the ankle and a fracture in the small bone of his foot, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. That is a big loss for the Cowboy front.

In an attempt to revive (and ignite) their motionless pass rush, the Cowboys, owner Jerry Jones announced postgame, reached a one-year deal with defensive end Jadeveon Clowney that is for $3.5 million but could be worth up to $6 million. Clowney, who visited Frisco earlier in the week, is 32 years of age and registered 5.5 sacks in 2024 with the Carolina Panthers and 9.5 in 2023 with the Baltimore Ravens. He made three straight Pro Bowls from 2016-18 while a Houston Texan and has 58 career sacks. He has recorded at least nine sacks in four of his pro seasons since being 2014’s No. 1 overall pick. Clowney’s addition will be welcomed, as Dante Fowler and rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku have not performed well in the first two weeks. The end said on Monday that he anticipates making his debut against the Chicago Bears next Sunday.

The Cowboys visit the Bears next week, September 21, a 4:25 p.m. start. The Bears were throttled by division rival Detroit 52-21 on Sunday. This Cowboy victory to get to 1-1 was super ugly, but you would rather an ugly win any day than a devastating and embarrassing defeat, which is what a Sunday loss would have been. 

Game Notes

Dak Prescott has won fourteen consecutive games vs. the Giants. That is the most wins by a quarterback against an opponent since 1980. Tom Brady from 2003-2010 defeated the Buffalo Bills thirteen consecutive times, and Steve Young defeated the Rams thirteen consecutive times from 1987-1998.

The game had six lead changes in the fourth quarter and overtime, which is tied for the most in NFL history, joining a December 8, 2013 game between the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens.

Cowboy kicker Brandon Aubrey became the first kicker in NFL history to make a game-tying field goal with no time remaining in regulation and a game-winning field goal with no time remaining in overtime.

Per Pro Football Focus, Trevon Diggs allowed four catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday, while Kaiir Elam allowed seven catches for 58 yards.