Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants: Complete Week 12 Preview for Dallas
Fresh off of their bye week, the Dallas Cowboys (7-3) will face off against the New York Giants (3-7) Sunday night at MetLife Stadium. This will be the first of three games in 12 days for the Cowboys; therefore, it is paramount that they get off to a winning start.
The bye week allowed for some crucial players, like Rolando McClain and Tyrone Crawford, to get healthy enough for the stretch run.
The Giants are coming off of a 16-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in which the offense played extremely sloppy, while the defense played very well.
This is the second meeting between these two teams, as the Cowboys beat the Giants 31-21 early in the season, when the Cowboys dominated both sides of the ball for the majority of the game.
The Cowboys must get pressure on Eli Manning and force him to commit turnovers. On offense, the Cowboys have to establish the run and efficiently attack the Giants secondary down the field.
Read on for some news and notes, injury information and players to watch on Sunday.
Cowboys Week 10 Recap
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The Dallas Cowboys (7-3) put together a dominating team effort as they beat the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-9) 31-17 in London. The Cowboys looked more like the team that got off to a 6-1 start and less like the team of the past two games.
Dez Bryant destroyed the Jaguars cornerbacks for the majority of the game. It looks like Bryant is peaking at the right moment as the Cowboys head into the stretch run.
The Cowboys offense put in a great performance against the Jaguars as well. The offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage, and it allowed the rest of the offense to do whatever they wanted to.
The Cowboys defense also put together a stellar 60 minutes, as it didn't allow Blake Bortles or Denard Robinson to get much going as the game went on.
Anthony Hitchens played an incredible game and looks like he may be a steal for the Cowboys in the fourth round.
Henry Melton continued his amazing play, as he was constantly providing interior pressure for the Cowboys. Melton has been one of the most active three-technique defensive tackles in the NFL during the last three games.
News and Notes
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On the Road Again
The Cowboys are the only unbeaten team on the road per ESPNDallas.com's Todd Archer. The Cowboys' success on the road has been because of their philosophy on offense.
The Cowboys have become one of, if not the best rushing team in the NFL. This allows them to control the ball for much longer periods of time and not allow the home crowd to get into the game.
Also, if the Cowboys offense is on the field more, it allows the defense to be fresh throughout the game, which means they can play at a higher level on a play-to-play basis.
Out of the Cowboys' last six games, four will be on the road. Therefore, they will need to continue this formula if they hope to make it to the playoffs.
Zack Martin in the Pro Bowl?
Fan voting for the Pro Bowl has opened up, and through Week 11, Zack Martin is the leading vote-getter out of all of the guards in the NFL, per Archer.
While some may find it odd that a rookie is leading the vote, anyone who has taken the time to study Martin's play wouldn't be surprised at all. He has been the Cowboys' best offensive lineman despite the fact that he is still a rookie.
Martin has done a fantastic job in pass protection and in the run, as he is one of the few offensive linemen who can make any block.
When the season ends, Martin shouldn't only be a Pro Bowler, he should also be an All-Pro.
Tony Romo is Playing at a High Level
Thus far, Tony Romo is having one of his most efficient seasons of his career. Romo is second in the league in passer rating and completion percentage, and he has thrown only three interceptions in his last 255 pass attempts per Archer.
Despite what DeMarco Murray has done, Tony Romo is the most valuable player on the Cowboys roster. Without him, teams can load up the box against Murray and not have to worry about the Cowboys passing attack beating them.
With Romo, the offense runs seamlessly, as teams must respect the run and pass. Whatever look defenses give them, the Cowboys have the personnel to beat it.
If the Cowboys make the playoffs, Tony Romo will be the No. 1 reason why.
Injury Report
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| Josh Brent (groin) | DT | Probable |
| Tony Romo (back) | QB | Probable |
| Tyrone Crawford (knee) | DT | Questionable |
| Tyler Patmon (knee/ankle) | CB | Doubtful |
| Doug Free (foot) | OT | Probable |
| Nick Hayden (shoulder) | DT | Probable |
| Rolando McClain (knee) | LB | Probable |
The Cowboys' bye week came at the perfect moment, as it appears as though all of their key contributors will be on the field Sunday. The only player who will likely be missing is rookie cornerback Tyler Patmon. To replace him, the Cowboys will likely call up Micah Pellerin from the practice squad or move Jakar Hamilton into the fourth cornerback slot until Patmon returns.
All injury information comes from the Cowboys' official team website.
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X-Factor and Matchups to Watch
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Orlando Scandrick vs. Odell Beckham Jr.
Orlando Scandrick has been arguably the Cowboys' best defensive player this season and one of the 10 best cornerbacks in the league. He has yet to give up a touchdown this season, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and he has consistently shut down opposing receivers.
This week, he will face off against rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. In the few games he has played, Beckham has been extremely productive, and he has proven to be a true playmaker for the Giants offense.
Beckham has the athletic ability to snag balls at the highest catch point and to run away from defenders. However, Scandrick has the speed, quickness and fluidity to be able to stay with Beckham through his route.
This matchup will dictate how well the Giants offense produces throughout the game. Look for Scandrick to keep up his fantastic play and allow minimum production when he is lined up against Beckham.
Doug Free vs. Robert Ayers
Jason Pierre-Paul gets most of the publicity; however, it can be argued that Robert Ayers has outplayed him at time throughout this season. Ayers has been one of the best free-agent acquisitions this year, as he has had an immensely productive season thus far.
The man who will largely be tasked with stopping Ayers will be Doug Free. Ayers rotates mostly with Mathias Kiwanuka, even though he sees some time at defensive tackle as well; therefore, he will play on the left side of the defense a great deal.
Free is going to have to be very disciplined in the run and pass games, as Ayers can make a significant impact on both. He will have to be balanced and composed throughout the game because Ayers is great at taking advantage of offensive linemen's mistakes. However, if a lineman is technically proficient, Ayers doesn't have the athletic ability to win in those situations, whereas a lineman could do everything right but still get beat by a player like Pierre-Paul.
X-Factor of the Week: Henry Melton
In his last three games, Henry Melton has really come into his own at the 3-technique defensive tackle position for the Cowboys. Melton has provided consistent pressure from the interior of the defensive line, which has led to the Cowboys getting to the quarterback on a much more frequent basis.
Henry Melton wins with his incredible quickness on the snap and active hands to get past opposing blockers, and he has made a few of them look silly on several occasions in the last few games.
Melton coupled with the consistent play of Tyrone Crawford has given the Cowboys one of the best technique rotations in the NFL.
If Melton can get constant pressure in Eli Manning's face, then it will likely lead to a few turnovers for the Cowboys defense, as Manning is prone to mistakes with pressure from the interior of the line.
Melton will be a huge reason why the Cowboys defense will put forward a good showing against the Giants.
Prediction
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On paper, this game should be an easy win for the Cowboys. They have the better offense and defense, along with a game plan that is easier to implement.
However, games aren't played on paper, and division games are particularly unpredictable. If the Cowboys don't come to the game prepared, then they will lose to the Giants. Eli Manning has the potential to break out in any game, and Jason Pierre-Paul can single-handedly wreck an offense.
Having said that, Jason Garrett has proven he prepares this team very well, and they have yet to play flat, with the exception of the Washington Redskins game. Also, the Cowboys have had two weeks to rest before facing the Giants, so they should be even more prepared against their division rivals.
DeMarco Murray should be able to put together another big game on the ground for the Cowboys, while Tony Romo should slice and dice the Giants defense. The key will be the Cowboys offensive line protecting Romo from the underrated Giants defensive line.
On defense, the Cowboys need to just continue what they have been doing all season. If they remain solid and continue pressuring the quarterback like they have the past three games, then they should come away with a few turnovers.
Overall, this game will likely be closer than most people think, but the Cowboys' superior talent and schemes should be enough for them to win the game.
Prediction: Cowboys 24, Giants 20
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