The Dallas Cowboys defeated the New York Giants with another dominant defensive performance while red-zone struggles continued for the offense. Cowboys defensive players logged three interceptions and a fumble recovery that led to 15 points and a 21-6 victory.
The victory takes the Cowboys to 10-4 and virtually assures a playoff berth this season.
Dan Quinn’s Dallas defense has been a key to the team’s current three-game win streak. The front seven consistently created short-yardage runs and kept the pressure on Giants quarterback Mike Glennon, who got the start with Daniel Jones injured.
Third-stringer Jake Fromm also made his NFL debut on the Giants’ last drive, which ended in an incomplete pass on fourth down.
The play of defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, who had four tackles and a tackle for loss on a play in which Glennon was scrambling to escape from linebacker Micah Parsons. Lawrence was a primary factor for the defensive dominance and added a forced fumble to his 2021 stats sheet.
The first Cowboys interception of the day came on a pass-attempt by Glennon, who was hit by Lawrence as he threw. The ball popped into the air, and cornerback Jourdan Lewis came down with the ball. He was pushed out of bounds at the New York 13-yard line, setting up a short field for the offense.
Ezekiel Elliott scored his first rushing touchdown since week 12, two plays later, bursting through the middle of the Giants defense for the score. Kicker Greg Zuerlein struggled with the gusty winds in MetLife Stadium, missing both extra-point attempts on the day but hitting all three field-goal attempts.
The second New York Giants turnover came when Lawrence punched the football from Giants running back Shaquan Barkley.
The ball was recovered by Cowboys tackle Carlos Watkins to set the offense up at the New York 46-yard line. The Cowboys converted a field goal to end the half following the turnover.
Safety Malik Hooker made his first interception of the season for the Cowboys’ third takeaway to end the third quarter. After the Cowboys and Giants traded punts, the Dallas offense committed the team’s only turnover of the day.
Quarterback Dak Prescott was hit as he attempted to throw after escaping pressure, and New York recovered the resulting fumble.
Any hope the turnover would pay off for the Giants was squashed only two plays later when Glennon tried to take advantage of a short field to record a quick score, only to give cornerback Trevon Diggs his 10th interception of the season.
Diggs becomes one of only three Cowboys in franchise history to record 10 or more interceptions in a season and needs only one more to tie the franchise record.
The Dallas defense also came up big by shutting down the Giants on fourth down throughout the game. The first stop came in the third quarter when Lawrence and Neville Gallimore combined to deny Glennon on fourth and one at the Giants 29.
That play resulted in a touchdown pass from Prescott to tight end Dalton Schultz for the game’s final score.
The Giants put Jake Fromm to the test on the game’s final drive. Fromm was a fifth-round pick in 2020. Fromm led the New York Giants 79 yards on his NFL debuting drive but could not connect on fourth down, turning the ball over to the Cowboys with 1:18 remaining in the game and no timeouts.
The Cowboys can clinch a playoff spot on Sunday, depending on the outcome of evening and afternoon games. They prepare for their next game and will take on the Arizona Cardinals for the final home game of the season next Sunday.
