OFFICIAL GDT - COWBOYS vs GIANTS!!!

[Underdog]

Cowboys vs. Giants
This Game Will Have Big Impact On Playoff Future

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GAME SET
WHAT: New York Giants (11-2) vs. Dallas Cowboys (8-5)
WHEN: Sunday, 7:15 p.m. (CST)
WHERE: Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
TELEVISION: NBC (Al Michaels and John Madden)

BIG ISSUE: All the talk this week about the Cowboys' internal turmoil has left almost no room to talk about the team they actually have to face on Sunday night - the 11-2, NFC East champion Giants. Last week's Cowboys loss to the Steelers locked up the division for the Giants anyway, but the Cowboy still need a win to keep pace in the wild-card race. If the season ended now, the Cowboys would be in, since they own a better conference record than the likewise 8-5 Atlanta Falcons. But the Falcons, who play 9-4 Tampa Bay, aren't the only teams the Cowboys have to stave off. The division rival Eagles (7-5-1) are only a half-game back, as are the Bears, who beat New Orleans on Thursday to go to 8-6. The Redskins (7-6) are one full game back but play the Eagles on Sunday. If the Cowboys lose Sunday, Dallas might find itself a game behind Atlanta, a half-game behind Philly or tied with Washington and Chicago. The Cowboys would still edge out Washington on strength of victory (the fifth tie-breaker), and would also be ahead of Chicago since the Cowboys have a better record in common games. Still, the Cowboys would rather avoid that tiebreaker mess by just beating the Giants.

The Giants may have won the division already, but it's not as if they don't have anything to play for. Carolina (10-3) is still battling with New York for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. If Carolina beats Denver on Sunday and the Giants lose, both teams will have identical 11-3 records, bringing the two teams' face-off next week even more importance. If both teams win this Sunday, that next game is still important since the Giants would lock up home-field with a win (since there'd be one game left in the season and New York would be a game ahead of Carolina while holding the head-to-head tie-breaker) and all but lose it with a loss since both teams would have identical 11-3 records and Carolina would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with a game left in the season. The worst-case scenario for the Giants would be to lose to Dallas on Sunday, making them have to win out in order to play at home in the playoffs.

NUMBERS, PLEASE: Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has been known to have a few clunkers in his career, but as always, it's how you respond to adversity that defines you. After games in which Romo has thrown three or more interceptions (last year against Philadelphia and Buffalo), he averages 228 yards passing, more than a touchdown a game and just one interception. So even after Romo's three-pick, one-fumble performance against the Steelers last Sunday, the Giants should not expect him to be so turnover happy on Sunday.

The Giants finished their last game against the Cowboys with a whopping 30 sacks for the season. But now, five weeks later, that sack pace has slowed. Over the last five games, the Giants have only averaged 1.2 sacks a game, compared to their pace of 3.75 after beating the Cowboys earlier this season. That five-game span includes two zero-sack performances against the Eagles.

ONE-ON-ONE: While the issues at the Cowboys' safety position haven't received the media attention this week that it deserves, the play of safeties Ken Hamlin and Keith Davis, both of whom are expected to play despite injuries suffered last week against the Steelers, will be pivotal. The Giants may not have Plaxico Burress for the rest of the season, but that doesn't mean they can't be productive in the passing game. The Cowboys have had issues covering Giants veteran Amani Toomer in the past, and since Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said this week Toomer and other receivers will face double coverage at times during the game, Hamlin and Davis will have to be mobile and on top of their games if they are available to play.

Yes, the Giants' sack production has gone down recently, but that doesn't mean tackles Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo will be taking their protection duties lightly on Sunday. Giants defensive end Justin Tuck still has 12 sacks so far and is a handful for any offensive lineman, and his fellow bookend Matthias Kiwanuka, who switched from outside linebacker to defensive end when the team lost Osi Umenyiora at the beginning of the season, is second on the team with six sacks. Both ends were productive in their last meeting against the Cowboys, Tuck registering 2.5 sacks and Kiwanuka netting one. Having quarterback Tony Romo back usually helps pass protection because of his mobility, but Colombo and Adams will still need to keep pass-rushers at bay.

SUPPORTING ROLE: With Adam Jones likely done for the season after suffering a herniated disk in his neck in his return to the field last week, rookie corners Orlando Scandrick and Mike Jenkins will see an increase in playing time Sunday. Scandrick has been manning the slot most of the season, and will continue in that role, enabling the Cowboys to keep Terence Newman either at left corner or shadow the opponent's top receiver. Jenkins, who is set to finally return from a hamstring injury, will play in sub-packages if the Cowboys continue to move Anthony Henry into the safety position or the slot to cover the tight end. If that happens, Jenkins will line up at right corner. It is important Jenkins not be hesitant coming off of injury, especially since his drive and toughness were questioned after avoiding contact on run defense the last time these two teams played. Scandrick might also resume kickoff return duties along with Isaiah Stanback.

With Giants starting running back Brandon Jacobs already ruled out with a knee injury, New York will rely on backups Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw to pick up the slack. It's not as if either has only played a limited amount the past two seasons, though, since the Giants like to use all three in the same game as part of what some have dubbed their "Earth, Wind and Fire" running attack. Bradshaw, at 5-9, 198 pounds, is more of a scat-back who can cut up and down the field with lightning speed. Ward, at 5-11, 210 is more of a hybrid of Bradshaw and Jacobs, who is a bruiser. Both have had success running against Dallas, although the Cowboys have seen Ward more than Bradshaw.

HEADSET GAMES: The last time the Cowboys played the Giants, New York ran for 200 yards. Questions naturally arose about the Cowboys' ability to defend the run, but head coach Wade Phillips pointed out this week that many of those big run plays came against the Cowboys' sub-packages, where they play more defensive backs and fewer linebackers. Phillips said the Cowboys won't make that kind of coaching mistake this time around, and will bring 10 guys up to defend the run if he has to.

The Giants probably have a hard time figuring out what to expect from the Cowboys this time around. Last time they played Dallas, the Cowboys were without Tony Romo, and as a result, their offensive balance suffered. Knowing the Cowboys likely could not pass effectively, the Giants stacked up against the run and blitzed the Cowboys into submission. The result was only 81 yards rushing and three interceptions. Since then, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said his team has watched film of every game since that match-up in the Meadowlands to get a better idea of how to defend the Cowboys offense. He said the Giants haven't watched last year's playoff victory over the Cowboys, though - the most recent game they've played against Romo.

HEALTH WATCH:

Cowboys
While there seem to be some injured egos in the Cowboys locker room, the actual injury report is quite lengthy. Only two players are listed as out, though - cornerback Adam Jones (neck) and left guard Montrae Holland (ankle). Listed as questionable are backup receiver Miles Austin (knee) and starting running back Marion Barber (calf/toe), who only had limited participation in practice on Friday after missing the rest of the week. Phillips has maintained Barber will likely be a game-time decision. Otherwise, the Cowboys seem to have dodged the injury bullet. Starting safeties Keith Davis (knee) and Ken Hamlin (ankle), starting linebacker Bradie James (ankle), backup corner Mike Jenkins (hamstring), long snapper L.P. Ladouceur (neck), starting nose tackle Jay Ratliff (concussion), backup linebacker Justin Rogers (illness), backup wide receiver Isaiah Stanback (shoulder), starting outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware (knee), starting wide receiver Roy Williams (foot), and starting tight end Jason Witten (ankle) are all listed as probable. Williams has not practiced all week and the Cowboys still are worrying some over their starting safeties.

Giants
Two players are out for the Giants - starting running back Brandon Jacobs (knee) and backup linebacker Jonathan Goff (hamstring). Backup wide receiver Domenik Hixon (ankle/foot) and starting defensive tackle Fred Robbins (shoulder) are listed as questionable. Backup running back Ahmad Bradshaw (neck), starting right tackle Kareem McKenzie (back), starting cornerback Aaron Ross (ankle) and starting defensive end Justin Tuck (lower leg) are all listed as probable.