OFFICIAL GDT - Cowboys @ Giants!!!

[Underdog]

Cowboys At Giants
Dallas Has Perfect Opportunity To Get Revenge On Giants

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GAME SET
WHAT: Dallas Cowboys (8-3) vs. New York Giants (6-5)
WHEN: Sunday, 3:15 p.m. (CT)
WHERE: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
TELEVISION: FOX (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver)

BIG ISSUE: There shouldn't be a lack of motivation for the Cowboys this week. Not only are they fighting to keep their one-game NFC East lead over Philadelphia, they've also had to face questions all week about their historic struggles in December. What's more, the Cowboys want to all but knock the New York Giants out of the playoff race. There is arguably no team the Cowboys hate more than the Giants, and the fact that New York handed Dallas its first loss in its brand new Cowboys Stadium earlier in the season only adds fuel to the Cowboys' fire.

The Giants, however, are motivated by desperation. Right now, the Giants are one game out of a Wild-Card spot at 6-5, trailing both the Eagles and Packers and tied with the Falcons. For everything to go right for the Giants this week, the Packers would have to lose to Baltimore on Monday Night Football, and the Falcons would need to beat the Eagles, effectively tying everyone at 7-5. That only helps the Giants if they beat the Cowboys and can be included in the 7-5 conversation, too. This is their most important game of the season.

NUMBERS, PLEASE: Former Cowboys defensive end and current Giants defensive lineman Chris Canty described his former team as a run-first club earlier in the week. Whether that's really the case is only known to offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, but the numbers say it at least should be. When the Cowboys rush for 100 yards or more, they are 7-1. When they don't, they're 1-2. Running the ball also takes pressure off of Tony Romo, who throws a pick a game when the offense fails to reach the century mark on the ground. When they do, he's gone six out of eight games without throwing an interception.

Even the casual football fan can tell that the Giants defense is not the same vaunted unit it was last year, yet New York is still ranked fourth in yards per game, allowing only 290 a contest. So what's wrong? Well, it turns out keeping teams out of the end zone is more important than keeping their drives short, and despite the minimal yardage the Giants give up, they still have surrendered almost 24 points per game, which ties them for the 24th in scoring defense. Last year, the Giants only gave up 18 a game.

ONE-ON-ONE: Two players will be on the field this Sunday who will play much bigger roles than the first time around. Cowboys receiver Miles Austin has since become the show horse of the Dallas offense, but he'll have to face Giants cornerback Aaron Ross, who was hurt for Cowboys-Giants Round One. Ross returned two weeks ago after the Giants' bye week, and recorded four tackles in New York's win over Atlanta. Ross has been a starter since midway through his rookie season in 2007, and solidified his spot with strong postseason and Super Bowl performances. Austin, however, has just now burst on the scene, and although he's put up gaudy numbers, Ross will provide a challenge on Sunday, and he could help at safety as well.

The New York Giants don't give up a lot of sacks, only 19 to be exact, but to protect a hobbled Eli Manning, they'll have to do more than rely on their five offensive linemen. Because the Cowboys, and especially inside linebacker Keith Brooking, are going to bring the house. Brooking has shown an affinity for blitzing this season, and is only a half-sack behind his career high of 3.5 with five games to go. If Brooking finds a gap to rush through, it will be up to fullback Madison Hedgecock and running back Brandon Jacobs to pick him up. The Giants have only given up four sacks to blitzers this season, so Brooking won't be able to just stroll into the pocket.

SUPPORTING ROLE: The last game Orlando Scandrick started was against these Giants in Week 2, and he lost the starting job competition with Mike Jenkins. But he still plays a vital role in the nickel, coming in as the slot corner. This time, Scandrick will probably be more prepared for the likes of Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks and Dominik Hixon. Don't expect the same lowlight reel of mistakes during this Giants-Cowboys showdown.

Injury robbed Giants defensive tackle Chris Canty of the chance to play against his former team earlier in the season, but now Canty's healthy and eager to prove to the Cowboys what they're missing. He worked with the first-team defense Friday ahead of Fred Robbins and could start Sunday.

HEADSET GAMES: When the Cowboys face the Giants, emotions always run high, and considering how disrespected some Cowboys players felt after losing their home debut in Cowboys Stadium, this game will be no exception. But, the Cowboys have to keep that emotion in control. Too many times have the Cowboys put themselves in sticky situations on the field against division opponents with senseless personal foul and unnecessary roughness calls. The Cowboys need to let the scoreboard do the talking and keep themselves out of their own way.

The Giants need to get their run game on track if they want to be successful. They cannot survive with Jacobs continuing to post only 3.9 yards a carry, his lowest average since his rookie year. The problem is, Jacobs has traditionally been the mouthpiece for all the trash talk coming from the Giants' side of the rivalry, and that means the Cowboys would love more than anything to shut him up personally. Dallas has always prided itself on stopping the run, but this week the goal just might be annihilating it.


HEALTH WATCH:

Cowboys

For the third week in a row, the Cowboys' injury report is pretty much the same. Out are starting right tackle Marc Colombo (ankle and leg) and starting free safety Ken Hamlin (ankle), although Hamlin was on the verge of practicing this week. Probable are starting tight end Jason Witten (foot), starting quarterback Tony Romo (back), starting strong safety Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb), starting linebacker DeMarcus Ware (foot/wrist) and backup linebacker Victor Butler (knee).

Giants

The Giants will definitely be without the services of backup running back D.J. Ware (concussion). On the fence to play are backup tight end Travis Beckum (groin), backup running back Ahmad Bradshaw (ankle/foot), and starting safety Michael Johnson (groin), who are all listed as questionable. Starting linebacker Michael Boley (back), backup wide receiver Derek Hagan (hamstring) and starting quarterback Eli Manning (foot) are listed as probable and will likely play.

[tcat075]

cowboy blowout.

[FINtastic]

Cowboys need to take this one to the Giants. The G-Men are a wounded dog that's just waiting to be put out of its misery.

[Jon Avalon]

Lets do it boys, we need to win this one!

:edit: woah Philly burned the falcons, we need to win this game. Cannot have Philly breathing down our necks in December, especially with our upcoming brutal schedule.

:edit: are the redskins really beating the saints atm? am i seeing that right?

[Bayliss]

Time for Romo to get the monkey off his back.

[Jon Avalon]

Oh come on martellus

[Jon Avalon]

Good job Jenkins!!

[Thespiralgoeson]

Jenkins is so the man.

[Jon Avalon]

oh FFS what was that romo?

[FINtastic]

The Skins are just completely worthless. I can't believe they are going to blow that game.

[Jon Avalon]

What a catch witten, way to stick with it!!!!! Now that's how you pay attention, Roy uno uno, take notes!

[FINtastic]

I think that throw to Witten was karma reversing itself for what happened in our last game against the Giants.

[DirkFTW]

Wow. I think Witten tipped the ball out of the defender's hands into his own.

[FINtastic]

More Felix/Choice.

[FINtastic]

That defensive back gave Roy a massive shot to the back. Definite PI.

[Jon Avalon]

Roy what was that?

:edit: ugh big sack on romo, dammit guys.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Are you kidding me with this?

[FINtastic]

Originally Posted by Jon Avalon

Roy what was that?

:edit: ugh big sack on romo, dammit guys.

I hate Roy as much as the next guy, but he got shoved in the back, kinda hard to jump up for the ball when that happens.

[Jon Avalon]

Way to slap it away newman!

Originally Posted by FINtastic

I hate Roy as much as the next guy, but he got shoved in the back, kinda hard to jump up for the ball when that happens.

meh fair enough but i would at least attempt to turn my body the other way around if i am looking at the ball.

[Thespiralgoeson]

RATLIFF!!

[DirkFTW]

Ratliff is so awesome.

[Jon Avalon]

AGHHHHHHHHH NO!!!


Please be down

[DirkFTW]

uh.............. please have been down already.

edit: Whew.

[Thespiralgoeson]

...

[Thespiralgoeson]

Damn straight!!

[Jon Avalon]

oh thank god

[Jon Avalon]

Touchdown!!!

[DirkFTW]

Roy EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[FINtastic]

I think that's the first time that play has worked.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Nice work, Roy. He had to work for that one too.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Amazing what a reversed call and a TD will do for one's temperament. A minute ago my blood boiling and I was pacing back and forth yelling at my tv. Now I'm sitting back, putting my feet up, and enjoying a cold one.

[DirkFTW]

I think this cold weather is taking about 10 yards off Buehler's range.

[DirkFTW]

shoot! what the heck happened there???

[Jon Avalon]

oh wtf, manning pretending to be romo there.


And darn, they are in cowboy territory just like that. 3 straight 16 yard plays, we cannot allow that.

[DirkFTW]

gahhhhhhh... that was on TNew?

[FINtastic]

Newman misplayed that one pretty badly.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Well that sucked.

[Windmill360]

well thats a way to lose the game.

[Jon Avalon]

ugh WTF?

[DirkFTW]

noooooooooooooooooooo NO!