Giants' 2022 Week 3 and 12 Opponent Preview: Cowboys
The New York Giants will see the first of their NFC East opponents in Week 3 when they host the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football, the Giants' only scheduled night game of the season.
MNF hasn't been kind to the Giants, who are 25-45-1 in regular-season games played on Monday night, including a 16-32-1 record in road games. The Giants have been outscored 1,739 to 1,338 by opponents in Monday night contests.
In Week 12, the Giants will visit the Cowboys for the second of the league's three Thanksgiving games. New York is 7-5-3 on Thanksgiving, having played on that day just four times since 1938.
The Giants' last appearance in a Thanksgiving game was on November 23, 2017, a game in which they lost 20-10 to Washington. The last time the Giants won on Thanksgiving Day was at Detroit in 1982, when they recorded a 13-6 victory thanks to Lawrence Taylor’s fourth-quarter, 97-yard interception return touchdown.
The Giants first played on Thanksgiving in 1926, their second year of existence, when they defeated the Brooklyn Lions, 17-0. After a two-year hiatus, they played a Thanksgiving Day game every season from 1929-38. They did not play again on Thanksgiving until 1982.
Week 3: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
Monday, September 26, 8:15 p.m., ESPN/ABC
Week 12: Giants at Dallas Cowboys
Thursday, November 24, 4:30 p.m. (Thanksgiving), FOX
Cowboys' 2021 Record
12-5 (.706), first in NFC East. Lost to 49ers, 23-17 in NFC Wild Card Round
Series History
Giants trail 71-46-2 in regular season; Giants lead, 1-0 in postseason. Dallas swept the season series in 2021 for the fourth time in five seasons and has won nine of the last 10 games between the teams. The Giants are 20-39-1 against the Cowboys on the road (5-8 in AT&T Stadium), while the Cowboys are 6-6 vs. the Giants in MetLife Stadium.
Last Meeting
Last year, the Cowboys racked up 44 points against the Giants at AT&T Stadium, the highest point total allowed by the Giants defense. In the second game, this one at MetLife Stadium, the Giants suffered a 20-6 loss in December.
Key Additions
Dalton Schultz, TE (franchise tag); Leighton Vander Esch, LB (FA); Malik Hooker, S (FA); Durance Armstrong, DE (FA); Michael Gallup, WR (FA); James Washington, WR (FA); Jayron Kearse, S (FA); Tyler Smith, OT (draft)
Key Losses
Amari Cooper, WR (trade), La’el Collins, OT (FA); Connor Williams, OL (FA); Cedrick Wilson, WR (FA); Randy Gregory, DE (FA)
Offseason Grade: C
The theme of the Cowboys’ offseason has been losing more players than they’ve gained. Key pieces from last season are gone from both sides of the ball including Cooper and Collins on offense, and Gregory on defense.
The offensive line was bordering on questionable status last season with age and injuries catching up with long-time staple Tyron Smith and the sub-par performance of center Tyler Biadasz. Dallas drafted Smith at No.24 but that’s commonly regarded to be a stretch. While it’s possible Smith works out, the pick seemed like a reach.
Dallas traded away Cooper and most of the receiver experience with him. It will rely on CeeDee Lamb—in just his third pro season—to take over. Tolbert was taken in the third round but if he can’t contribute immediately, this team is in trouble. Michael Gallup won’t be available to start the season because of his Week 17 ACL injury last season. — Timm Hamm, Reporter, Cowboys Country
Biggest Question Still to Be Answered
Can Dak Prescott stay healthy? Prescott started last season making an early case for MVP until he suffered a calf injury while throwing the game-winning overtime touchdown to Lamb against the Patriots. Prescott was never the same. Prescott needs to return to his early 2021 form and that will largely depend on the health and performance of the offensive line in front of him, which is also a big question. — Timm Hamm, Reporter, Cowboys Country
Fantasy Fact
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott finished seventh in fantasy points among running backs last season, and he’s now finished no worse than ninth at the position in every NFL season in which he’s played at least 15 games. Still, his second-half struggles and the emergence of Tony Pollard have Elliott’s 2022 ADP in the third or fourth round. He could be a steal. — Michael Fabiano
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