The Dallas Cowboys stood pat at the NFL trade deadline. While they passed up an opportunity to cash in on veterans like Kenny Clark, you have to feel good that Jerry Jones resisted the urge to sink more resources into a team that nearly went 0-2 against the Cardinals and Colts.
As currently constituted, this roster is good enough to win the NFC East. Whether the Cowboys have the head coach to guide them there is another story, but the New York Giants kept the door open by not making a single move before Tuesday's 3 p.m. cutoff.
The Giants are 5-2-1 and have learned how to win ugly in John Harbaugh's first season. There's something to be said for that, but their success in close games could prove difficult to sustain once the schedule gets tougher. That's what makes their quiet trade deadline such a positive development for Dallas.
The Giants did the Cowboys a favor at the trade deadline
Harbaugh reportedly pushed hard to get superstar defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons before he got dealt to the Bears. The Giants were also after Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor, with FOX Sports' Jay Glazer reporting that they offered as much as a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.
Think about how discouraged you feel about the Cowboys after Sunday's win in Indianapolis. Now imagine Simmons or Taylor wearing Giants blue. As bleak as Dallas' chances of catching New York might seem right now, they'd look a whole lot worse if the Giants had added either player to their overachieving team.
On paper, the Cowboys are more talented than their rival. That didn't stop the Giants from putting together a wire-to-wire win over Dallas in Week 1.
Harbaugh and his staff ran laps around Brian Schottenheimer. Overcoming that coaching gap will be difficult enough without New York adding more firepower. At least the Giants' inactivity at the deadline ensured that Dallas won't have to contend with a significantly improved roster.
The Giants' record is impressive, but it's also a little misleading.
The Giants' good fortune has to run out soon ... right?
You don't apologize for wins in this league, but New York was fortunate to escape Tennessee and Philadelphia. And it took an all-time brain lapse by Jayden Daniels and Dan Quinn for the Giants to leave Washington with a tie.
In Week 3, the Titans had 1st-and-goal trailing 12-7 with 0:24 left in the fourth quarter when Cam Ward threw an unforgivable interception in the end zone, gifting the Giants a win. A 12-7 win over the 1-7 Titans. Bruh.
A similar script unfolded this past Sunday in Philly. Joe Milton had the ball at the end, needing a touchdown and a two-point conversion to tie the game, but couldn't get past midfield. New York averaged an inhumane 3.8 yards per play, but walked away with a 19-11 victory.
The Giants absolutely deserve credit for winning those games. That's a testament to Harbaugh. But there's a difference between finding ways to win and consistently outplaying your opponents.
They've walked a fine line between winning and losing, and it's fair to question how much longer they can keep coming out on the right side of these games. History tells us it isn't sustainable.
Let's take a look at New York's schedule the rest of the way:
- vs. Commanders (TNF)
- vs. Jaguars
- at Colts
- vs. 49ers
- at Seahawks
- vs. Browns
- at Lions (MNF)
- at Cowboys
- vs. Eagles
That's no walk in the park, especially for a team that has needed a lot to break its way in close games. The Giants deserve credit for banking wins early, but their margin for error figures to shrink against better competition. If their good fortune starts to run out, Dallas could have an opportunity to make up ground in a hurry.
The Cowboys obviously have to hold up their end of the bargain. The Giants' inactivity at the trade deadline means nothing if Brian Schottenheimer can't lead this team on a winning streak. Take it one week at a time. Handle your business and hope that New York's good fortune in close games starts to run out.
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