The New York Giants’ season-opening loss to the Dallas Cowboys was a disappointing blow to an otherwise stellar start here in 2012 for the defending Super Bowl champions. Since then, the Giants have played quality football and stand alone atop the NFC East Division with a 5-2 record.
They enter Week 8 with revenge in mind, seeking their second consecutive divisional win following a come-from-behind triumph over Robert Griffin, III and the Washington Redskins a week ago. Before they can stake their claim as one of the NFL’s best, however, the Giants must prove they can take down the battered Cowboys and solidify their current standing.
Though the Cowboys come into this game with a plethora of injuries to key players, overcoming quarterback Tony Romo and “America’s Team” is rarely an easy feat for Big Blue.
Here is a look at what the Giants must focus on to leave Cowboys Stadium with another victory (New York is 3-0 since its opening in 2009):
Run the Football
The Giants have had amazing success this season running the football. They should be able to continue this against Dallas.
The Cowboys are coming into this game without their top tackler, linebacker Sean Lee. His is but one of an assortment of injuries that are expected to hamper their defensive scheme. The Giants must expose Dallas’ losses by consistently running the football. This will force the Cowboys to fill a void that Dan Connor — Lee’s replacement and college teammate at Penn State — is unlikely to fill.
The Giants should use all three of their running backs — Ahmad Bradshaw, David Wilson and Andre Ware — to keep the Cowboys honest. These players showcase a multitude of rushing styles that will keep Dallas off balance and they run behind an offensive line that has been spectacular since its reshuffling after the Giants’ Week 1 loss.
Attack Tony Romo
With Cowboys’ starting running back DeMarco Murray sidelined and Felix Jones playing with an injury of his own, the ground attack could provide little help for Dallas’ in moving the chains. This is an unfortunate reality for the team. The offense thrived in their Week 1 win over the Giants, primarily because of Murray’s success running the football — especially in the second half.
New York has had substantial success of their own getting to Romo in the past, and they will need to conjure that past success to keep the gunslinger off his game. With the running game potentially out of the equation, the Cowboys’ chances for victory rest on the shoulders of Romo… just the way the Giants like it.
The trio of Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck must find ways to break into the pocket and place Romo under duress all afternoon. Even if the defensive linemen are unable to sack the often-elusive quarterback, consistent pressure will force him to make him quick decisions. As the game goes on, the continuing stress could result in costly turnovers as was the case in the Giants’ Week 17 victory against the Cowboys last season.
The G-Men have had a lot of luck the past two weeks employing different looks along the defensive line, shifting players around and using their depth to keep their pass rushers fresh. Employing much of the same should be expected in order to keep Romo throwing off of his heels or eating turf all game long. Meanwhile, the Giants’ insufferable pass rush should alleviate much of the pressure faced by their secondary and allow them to cover the Dallas receivers.
Protect Eli Manning
Giants quarterback Eli Manning has been sacked just five times this season, but three of those came in Week 1 against the Cowboys. The New York offensive line has played well since that season-opening disappointment and left tackle Will Beatty has been a pleasant surprise in keeping No. 10 upright.
Beatty is one of the top pass-protecting offensive tackles in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus, allowing minimal pressure to Manning and just one sack through seven games this season.
Combined with an surprising, though equally impressive group of men along the offensive line with him, the Giants have been a nearly unstoppable force. The offense currently ranks second in total yards and is third in points per game with 29.3.
Strong pass protection has allowed New York to excel on offense with ease. If their success continues in Week 8 against the Cowboys, it will be difficult for Dallas — who averages just 18.8 points per game — to keep up. The Cowboys have scored more than the 24 points they tallied against the Giants only once this season (in a 31-29 loss to the Baltimore Ravens).
Though the Cowboys are 22nd in the NFL with 12 sacks, the Giants must account for outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware and his fellow pass rushers, who finished seventh with 42 sacks last season. Ware is a perennial sack leader with 41.5 in the last three seasons. He had two sacks of Manning in the season opener and has 12.5 all-time in 12 games against the Giants.
Louis Musto is a contributor for the Sports Journey Broadcast Network covering the NFL and NBA. You can follow him on Twitter @LouisMusto.