It took six tries and almost three months of the season, but for the first time in 2024, the Dallas Cowboys won at home.
Dallas worried and frustrated New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock in Thursday’s 27-20 Thanksgiving victory.
The win was the Cowboys’ second straight in a disappointing season. It was the first win at home after a 0-5 win at AT&T Stadium. It comes against a Giants (2-10) team that is in the midst of a worse season than the Cowboys.
Lock made his first start Thursday since signing with the Giants in the offseason. It didn’t go well.
DeMarvion Overshown broke a screen play in the first half and caught a pick-6 tip ball for Dallas’ first touchdown of the day.
The Giants had a chance to tie or take the lead on their first possession of the second half, but Lock again turned the ball over in the stands from Eric Kendricks. Overshow was there again for the turnover and jumped on the loose ball to recover the fumble.
Six plays later, Rico Dowdle crossed the goal line for a 4-yard touchdown to make the Cowboys’ lead 20-10 and effectively game over. A touchdown pass from Cooper Rush to Brandin Cooks made Dallas’ lead 27-10 and the Cowboys were in control late in the third quarter.
A field goal and a late touchdown by Locke cut the lead to one and put pressure on the Cowboys in the final minutes of the game. But there was no Giants rally and the Cowboys secured the win to improve to 5-7 on the season.
The Cowboys sacked Lock six times. They forced one hit and a forced fumble. Lock finished the day by completing 21 of 32 passes for 178 yards with no touchdowns and a pass-6.
On offense, the Cowboys controlled the ground game and got 112 yards and a touchdown from Dowdle. Rush completed 21 of 36 passes for 195 yards with a touchdown and no turnovers.
The win does little to improve the Cowboys’ long-term playoff hopes as they play a stretch game without injured starting quarterback Dak Prescott. But it sure was better than the alternative, which would be another embarrassing loss at home on the Thanksgiving stage.
The Giants’ season takes a turn for the worse with the loss. Lock is New York’s third quarterback to start this season following the benching and release of Daniel Jones. Tommy DeVito started last week in a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Neither provides hope for the Giants to become competitive. New York’s 2-10 record is the worst in the NFL.
Brandin Cooks makes the first catch to seal the victory for the Cowboys
That’s all. Brandin Cooks just made a tough catch on the sideline and the Cowboys can win 27-20.
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The Giants kick it back to the Cowboys
The Giants decided against the onside kick and kicked the ball back to the Cowboys with 2:18 left. Can the Cowboys win 27-20?
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Drew Lock TD gives Giants late hope
The Giants aren’t done yet. Drew Lock just capped an eight-play, 80-yard drive with an eight-yard touchdown to cut the Cowboys’ lead to 27-20. What now? Will the Giants kick it back to the Cowboys with two timeouts and 2:18 remaining? Or will they attempt an inside kick?
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The Giants have the ball again
Another Cowboys punt and another chance for Drew Lock. The Giants have the ball back with 4:39 remaining and a 27-13 deficit.
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Another sack, another Giants punt
The Cowboys sacked Drew Lock for the sixth time on the day and the Giants punted with 6:59 left. Dallas will try to run away as much time as possible.
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Cowboys punts; Can the Giants mount a rally?
The Cowboys punted back to the Giants with 9:51 left in the fourth quarter. Can the Giants stage a rally? Drew Lock showed little to demonstrate that a Giants comeback was possible until 27-13.
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The Giants settle for a FG after another Drew Lock sack
Micah Parsons and Mazi Smith combined to sack Drew Lock on second down, and the Giants eventually settled for a field goal. The Cowboys lead was down to two scores. Dallas leads 27-13 with 13:34 left.
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The Cowboys took a 27-10 lead into the fourth quarter
Drew Lock and the Giants are driving, but they have a lot of work to do in the final 15 minutes of the game. Dallas leads 27-10 in the fourth quarter. The Giants will face a second-and-5 from the Cowboys 25 to start the fourth.
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Rico Dowdle extends Cowboys lead to 3 scores
The Cowboys are in full control. Rico Dowdle capped Dallas’ nine-play, 70-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run to extend the Cowboys’ lead to 27-10 late in the third quarter. Giants quarterback Drew Lock has done little to suggest he can lead New York’s rally.
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Another sack by Drew Lock forces a Giants punt
The rough Thanksgiving continues for Drew Lock. Micah Parsons sacks him on third down to force a Giants punt and the Cowboys have a chance to extend their lead to three scores.
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Cowboys score 1 play after a near fumble
The Cowboys scored after Cooper Rush’s fumble was recovered. One play later, Rush found Brandin Cooks in the end zone to extend the Cowboys’ lead to 20-10 early in the third quarter. Dallas is hoping for its first home win of the season.
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Cowboys take a break
Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush appeared to lose at the goal line. But replays showed his knee was down before he lost the ball, and the Cowboys held on.
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Disaster for the Giants early in the second half
Drew Lock fumbled on New York’s first drive of the second half and the Cowboys recovered. It’s Locke’s second turnover of the day in his first start of the season.
It was DeMarvion Overshow on the ball again. The Cowboys linebacker recovered a fumble on a strip sack by Eric Kendricks. Overshow scored Dallas’ lone touchdown in the first half on a Lock pick-6.
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The second half is underway
We start in the third quarter. The Giants have the ball first and lead 13-10.
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Cowboys 13, Giants 10: Key first half stats
Cooper Rush: 12 of 24 for 116 yards with no touchdowns or turnovers Drew Lock: 8 of 17 for 55 yards with no touchdowns and 1 interception (returned for a touchdown)
Rico Dowdle: 8 carries for 50 yards Tyrone Tracy Jr: 4 carries for 16 yards and 1 touchdown
CeeDee Lamb: 2 catches for 39 yards, 3 dropped passes Malik Nabers: 5 catches for 39 yards
Cowboys Total Yards: 175 Giants Total Yards: 103
Cowboys yards per game: 4.7 Giants yards per game: 3.1
Cowboy turnovers: 0 Giant turnovers: 1
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Sack of Drew Lock ends the first half
The Giants tried to tie the game before halftime. But New York’s final drive of the second quarter ended with a Drew Lock sack on first-and-10 from the Giants 40. It was a fitting end to a half that was by no means pleasing.
Business punts
This game struggles for offensive consistency. Tom Brady doesn’t sound amused in the broadcast booth. In three drives, the Giants and Cowboys combined for 10 plays and 6 yards.
CeeDee’s hard day continues
It’s never a good thing when a graphic with a picture of your star receiver captioned “Passes Run” appears on a Fox broadcast. We’re now up to 3 for Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb.
Another point for the Cowboys, who are welcomed by the crowd at JerryWorld.
3 instead of 7 for the Giants
The Giants didn’t move the ball much after the kickoff at the Cowboys’ 29-yard line. The first-down effort ended with Malik Nabers falling on third-and-9 (he had quite a few sticks even though he made the catch).
Graham Gan’s 46-yard FG narrows Dallas’ lead.
Huge special teams passes
Giants punter Jamie Gillan pinned the Cowboys at their 1-yard line and New York forced a three-and-out. New York begins its run in Dallas territory.
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