3 reasons Cowboys will beat the Giants, 2 reasons they lose
- Overwhelming pass rush?
- Cowboys advantages over Giants
The Cowboys could lose if...the Giants dominate in the trenches defensively
Yes, we expect the Dallas Cowboys to be bringing the heat off the edge in this game, but the New York Giants have assembled a talented defensive front as well. As a matter of fact, the front seven defensively might be the best area of this entire roster being built by GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll.
Every NFL team needs to be able to run the ball effectively to win games but if the Giants make the Cowboys one-dimensional and unable to consistently run the football, it might expose Dallas enough for the Giants to potentially sneak away with a victory. The Cowboys obviously have invested plenty in their offensive line, but the Giants have invested heavily in their defensive line and that group is tough.
If Tony Pollard and the Cowboys backs don't have any running room, we've seen that Dak Prescott is prone to making some mistakes with a higher volume of pass attempts.
Another thing to look for here is the left side of the Dallas offensive line showing up on the injury report. Left tackle Tyron Smith and left guard Tyler Smith were both listed throughout the week.
The Cowboys will win because of...the Giants' young cornerbacks
The Dallas Cowboys have a couple of stud veterans at the wide receiver position in CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. They have Michael Gallup and Jalen Tolbert as secondary targets in the passing game. That's a lot for any cornerback group to have to deal with, but how about the New York Giants trotting out two rookies to start at the outside cornerback positions in this game?
This might be one of the biggest advantages the Cowboys have all night on Sunday against New York. The Giants are understandably excited about first-round pick Deonte Banks and sixth-round pick Tre Hawkins III playing well enough to be opening day starters (with veteran and former first-round pick Adoreé Jackson in the slot).
But the Cowboys should be able to take advantage of that youth with two guys who know how to get open against even the better corners in the league.