Giants Defeat Dallas 33-31: Dallas Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones should have been more careful about what he wished for. On a Dallas radio station last Friday, Jones was asked if he hand-picked the Giants for the team he wanted to face for the grand opening of his new $1.2 billion stadium. “I did,” replied Jones. “I got to basically have real input into who we’d be playing.”
Big mistake Jerry. Big mistake.
The Giants clearly ruined the party, defeating the Dallas Cowboys on a last-second field goal to give New York a stunning 33-31 victory. The win will go down as one of the most memorable in Giants’ team history and one of the most painful in Cowboys’ team history. A record crowd of over 105,000 people, including former President George W. Bush, watched the game.
“It was the ugliest homecoming they’ve ever asked to come,” said LB Antonio Pierce after the game. “We appreciate the welcoming. We appreciate the 100,000 people cheering us on. And it was good watching ourselves on TV (the Cowboys’ new jumbo video screen).”
“This is definitely one of the best things I’ve ever been a part of, just coming in here and ruining this whole thing for them,” said HB Brandon Jacobs. “I love it.”
The Giants are now 2-0 overall, and 2-0 and in first place in the tough NFC East. “I tip my hat to the Giants players,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “This was a great team effort.”
In a crazy, back-and-forth game, the Giants prevailed despite giving up 251 net yards rushing and going 0-of-5 in red zone scoring opportunities. The Giants won because they were +4 in the turnover ratio and QB Eli Manning dramatically out-played QB Tony Romo. Wide receivers Mario Manningham and Steve Smith also had a memorable night, the two combining for 20 catches for 284 yards and two touchdowns. PK Lawrence Tynes was 4-of-5 on field goal attempts, including the 37-yard game winner.
The biggest negative on the night was that DE Justin Tuck was forced to leave the game with a shoulder injury and WR Domenik Hixon suffered a knee injury. Coughlin said he had no updates on the severity of either injury after the game.
Dallas received the football to start the game but the Giants’ defense forced a three-and-out. New York then drove the ball 71 yards in nine plays to set up a 30-yard field goal by Tynes. The big plays on the drive were 32- and 26-yard passes from Manning to Smith, the latter coming on 3rd-and-11.
Dallas roared right back with a 9-play, 62-yard drive that resulted in a 2-yard rushing touchdown by HB Marion Barber. Cowboys 7 – Giants 3. The Giants went three-and-out on their next possession. But the Giants took the lead when rookie CB Bruce Johnson, playing for injured CB Kevin Dockery, intercepted Romo and returned the pick 34 yards for a touchdown. Giants 10 – Cowboys 7.
The Cowboys gave the Giants another gift when they fumbled away the ensuing kickoff. LB Bryan Kehl recovered at the Cowboys’ 27-yard line. However, the Giants’ offense stalled at the Dallas 5-yard line and New York was forced to settle for another short Tynes’ field goal. Giants 13 – Cowboys 7.
Dallas quickly regained the lead once again by driving 73 yards in eight plays, with Romo hitting TE Jason Witten for a 1-yard score on 3rd-and-goal. Cowboys 14 – Giants 13. On their next two drives of the first half, the Giants were forced to punt; and the Cowboys also punted once. On Dallas’ seventh possession, S Kenny Phillips intercepted Romo on a play where the ball first appeared to hit the turf, but actually bounced off the leg of Witten. Phillips would have scored had the officials not blown the play dead. Instant Replay overturned the mistake, but the Giants were given the ball at the Cowboys’ 28-yard line instead of the defensive touchdown. It was no matter as Manning hit Manningham for a 22-yard score three plays later on 3rd-and-4. Manningham made a juggling catch while on the ground for the incredible touchdown. Giants 20 – Cowboys 14.
Unfortunately, the defense failed to hold again as Dallas drove 37 yards in six plays and 45 seconds to set up a 47-yard field goal right before halftime. At the half, the Giants led 20-17.
The Giants received the football to start the second half and drove 71 yards in eight plays. However, Tynes, on his only miscue of the night, missed the 29-yard field goal. The Giants’ defense forced Dallas to punt after one first down. The Giants were then able to drive from their 6-yard line to the Dallas 45, but then the drive stalled and New York punted.
The Cowboys regained the lead again when they drove 83 yards on seven plays, the possession culminating with a 3-yard quarterback draw by Romo. Cowboys 24 – Giants 20. The Giants went three-and-out. Near midfield, Romo threw the ball deep but was picked off by Phillips at the Giants’ 5-yard line. It was Phillips’ second interception of the game and he returned it to the Giants’ 27.
On the first play after the turnover, Manning hit Manningham deep over the middle for a 49-yard gain. Three plays later, on 3rd-and-8, Manning found Smith for the 22-yard score and a 27-24 advantage.
The Giants’ defense forced a three-and-out and New York then moved 40 yards in seven plays to set up Tynes from 36 yards out. Giants 30 – Cowboys 24.
All looked lost however when Dallas drove 71 yards in 7 plays to take a 31-30 lead late in the 4th quarter. HB Felix Jones of the Cowboys scored from seven yards out.
On their ensuing and last possession of the game, the Giants were backed up to the 15-yard line after a holding penalty on their first play. Manning threw to HB Ahmad Bradshaw for 2 yards and WR Derek Hagan for 12 yards. The Giants were able to convert on 3rd-and-6 with an 11-yard pass from Manning to Smith. Manning then threw to TE Kevin Boss for 13 yards and Smith for 6 yards. After an incompletion, Manning found Manningham for 8 yards on 3rd-and-4 and Smith again for 12 yards. After Manning gained 2 yards, Tynes trotted out and kicked what appeared to be the game winner with no time left. But the officials granted the Cowboys a timeout just before the ball was snapped. Dallas’ attempt to ice Tynes failed as Tynes coolly kicked the game winner, for a second time, for the dramatic victory.
“That’s when (Eli’s) the best,” said Pierce. “When we go no-huddle or up-tempo, you don’t want it in the hands of nobody else but No.10. He finds a way.”
“A division opponent on the road, the biggest crowd ever, Sunday night football, and a two-minute drive — it doesn’t get any better than that,” Manning said.
Post-Game Notes: Inactive for the Giants were WR HB Danny Ware (elbow), Hakeem Nicks (foot), OT Guy Whimper, OC Adam Koets (ankle), DT Chris Canty (calf), LB Clint Sintim (groin), CB Aaron Ross (hamstring), and CB Kevin Dockery (hamstring).
Offensively, while the Giants accrued 330 net yards passing, the just were held to 97 net yards rushing. Jacobs carried the ball 16 times for 58 yards while Bradshaw carried the ball nine times for 37 yards. In 13 offensive possessions, the Giants scored two touchdowns and four field goals. New York scored on each of their last three possessions.
The Giants defense gave up 251 yards rushing and did not sack Romo. However, the Giants did intercept Romo three times and hold Dallas to 127 net yards passing. Dallas did score four touchdowns and one interception in 13 offensive possessions.
NY Post Q&A With WR Steve Smith: Serby’s Sunday Q&A With…Steve Smith by Steve Serby of The New York Post