Position battleground (offense): Cowboys vs. Giants head-to-head breakdown

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Are you feeling any more confident in the Cowboys offense than you were this time last week?

It’s Thanksgiving week so that means there are some certainties in the next couple of days- turkey, pecan pie, plenty to drink and of course, Cowboys football. This week the Dallas Cowboys take on the New York Giants, who are currently on a six-game skid at the moment. A lot has happened in the last week for both offense’s so let’s break them down and see which position groups are better.

QUARTERBACK

Cooper Rush
vs.
Tommy DeVito/Drew Lock

Cowboys fans had very little hope for Cooper Rush heading into the Washington game, but he went out and proved everyone wrong. There’s an old coaches saying that the best backup quarterback is a solid defense and last week the Cowboys defense played way above expectation and had their best game of the season. This helped Rush get into a rhythm and after he threw his first touchdown strike to Jalen Tolbert we saw a different player. Immediately after that score Rush had a little extra confidence going back on the field and even a bit of attitude. What resulted was a 75% completion rate, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 117.6, not bad for a backup that had fumble issues the week before.

Daniel Jones is officially out of the building and no longer in New York. With the way the Giants are playing at the moment the cut looks to be the start of bigger things to come over the next couple of seasons to right the ship in New York. That, of course, means the Giants are playing with their backup quarterback, Tommy DeVito, if he is healthy. His name popped up the injury report.

He had a nightmare last week, and by halftime he had only six completions. He ended the game throwing no touchdowns and for 189 yards. What didn’t help his cause was the relentless pressure which put him out of sync with the offense as he was sacked four times during the game.

Conclusion:
This is the battle of the backups, and Rush as it stands has all the momentum. Going in Rush’s favor is also the fact the Giants defense has managed to make one interception all season (lowest in the league) and has a passer rating allowed of 105.1 (third worst in the league).
Win: Cowboys

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RUNNING BACK

Rico Dowdle/Ezekiel Elliott
vs.
Tyrone Tracy/Devin Singletary

Rico Dowdle is looking improved and his rushing has got better with each passing game the past couple of weeks. Last week against the Commanders, Dowdle averaged 4.5 yards per carry and rushed for 86 yards which has been the second-most in a game for him this season. The blocking upfront was much better, most certainly from the tight ends which helped Dowdle get upfield a number of times.

Tyrone Tracy had been a sudden breath of fresh air for Giants fans and since Week 5 he rushed for over 100-yards in a game three times. Against Tampa Bay, with DeVito struggling in the passing game, the Giants were one-dimensional and Tracy struggled managing only 42 yards. As for Singletary, he rushed for three yards last week.

Conclusion:
The Giants have more rushing touchdowns than Dallas (who sit last), and have more rushing yards this season. But the concern for the Giants running backs is the fact there’s no passing attack for Dallas to be overly concerned about and leaves New York’s offense predictable. While conversely for Dallas, Dowdle is on the up.
Win: Giants

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WIDE RECEIVERS

CeeDee Lamb/Jalen Tolbert/KaVontae Turpin
vs.
Malik Nabers/Wan’Dale Robinson/Darius Stayton

So the big news is there’s a huge possibility that Brandin Cooks plays this week. The last time Cooks played was coincidentally against New York where he had one reception for 16 yards, but having him return for Thanksgiving would be a huge boost for the offense. Jalen Tolbert made a crucial drop in last week’s game to extend a drive, but he later redeemed himself with a fantastic, and very much needed, touchdown reception.

CeeDee Lamb is still the main threat for the Giants to try and figure out. He went for 98 yards and a touchdown the last time these two teams met in Week 4. The Giants also have to contend with the league’s fastest player, KaVonate Turpin.

For all the hype, Malik Nabers hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 3 and hasn’t gone over 100-yards receiving since Week 4. The Giants offense ranks fourth-worst in passing yards per game and is last in receiving touchdowns this year. The bigger problem now facing this receiving unit is the fact they are relying on DeVito to deliver, and it’s fair to say he is of less quality than Daniels. Against Tampa Bay, Darius Slayton registered zero receiving yards.

Conclusion:
This one is forgone conclusion. With Lamb leading the charge, Cooks possibly returning and Turpin exploding out the blocks the last two weeks, it’s easy to call this one.
Win: Cowboys

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TIGHT END

Jake Ferguson
vs.
Theo Johnson

Jake Ferguson missed last week due to being in concussion protocol, there’s a chance he misses this week as well but keep an eye on him in practice reports. In his place, Luke Schoonmaker went out and played like he had something to prove, and actually had a good game. Not only did he score the team’s second touchdown he also caught two other passes and went for 56 yards.

Theo Johnson is questionable this week due to a back injury, so keep an eye on how he progresses. Johnson has scored one touchdown this year and averages 25 yards per game.

Conclusion:
It’s impressive to see Schoonmaker taking on the role in Ferguson’s absence and proving he has something to offer. With the quarterback position in disarray for the Giants, this will affect the tight end position like the wide receivers and running backs.
Win: Cowboys

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OFFENSIVE LINE

There were a few line changes for Dallas last week during the game, more specifically with Tyler Guyton. It’s frustrating for a number of reasons but the hope is Guyton can get back into a rhythm and more than anything, reduce the penalties this week. Tyler Smith is trending towards returning after missing last week, but the news on Zack Martin is a little less optimistic to return. Adding to the offensive line issues is also Asim Richards, keep an eye on his practice news before the game. The offensive line will need to be on form as the Giants defensive line ranks fifth in total sacks. One positive for this offensive line is they should look to dominate against a defensive line that is ranked third-worst in rush yards allowed.

The Giants offensive line has allowed the eighth-most sacks this year and last week’s performance is a good example of how that failing offensive line killed their quarterback. As a unit, this offensive line is also inferior to Dallas when it comes to run blocking. Keep an eye on both Giants tackles on the practice report. Evan Neal is dealing with a hip injury which has the chance to sideline him, and Jermaine Eluemunor is dealing with a quad strain. If both miss the game then expect Micah Parsons and company to really lay the pressure down.
Win: Cowboys