ARLINGTON, Texas —What is the difference between owner Jerry Jones and general manager Jerry Jones?
Well, coach Mike McCarthy used the aftermath of last Sunday’s 40-3 victory against the Minnesota Vikings as a prime example.
A giddy and feeling good owner Jerry Jones openly talked about the Cowboys being a Super Bowl worthy team.
“A resounding yes,” Jones said when asked the Cowboys looked like a Super Bowl contender. “Yes. Unequivocally yes. I sure do think that what I see out here right now is the team like that you could go get a Super Bowl with.”
McCarthy, however, wants no parts of the Super Bowl talk one week after the Cowboys blew a 14-point loss to the Green Bay Packers and just a few days before a crucial Thanksgiving Day battle against the New York Giants on a short week.
“I saw Jerry’s comments,” McCarthy said. “I can tell you, speaking with general manager Jerry, he’s focused on the Giants. But obviously, the owner, he’s always looking at the big picture. My reality in this, and really the team’s reality, is we addressed those questions at the beginning of the year back in training camp.
“We understand what our goal is for the year. That hasn’t changed. But our focus as a team? If we’re talking about anything other than the Giants, we’re wasting our time.”
Both the Cowboys and Giants are 7-3 and tied for second place in the NFC East behind the 9-1 Philadelphia Eagles.
“This is an important game,” McCarthy said. “We clearly understand what their record is and our record is. This is about beating the Giants.”
So who has the edge:
Cowboys offense vs. Giants defense
The Giants defense had no answers for the Cowboys offense in the Week 3 matchup when Cooper Rush was at quarterback. The Cowboys rushed for 178 yards and Rush passed for 215 and a touchdown, while providing a blue print for how the Cowboys want to play offense.
Dak Prescott is back at quarterback and the Cowboys offense has increased it’s production from 21.4 points per game to 35.5, while still leaning on the running game. What can the Giants to do stop Prescott that they couldn’t do against Rush.
Edge: Cowboys
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Cowboys defense vs. Giants offense
The Giants offense is coming off its worst game of the season. Running back Saquan Barkley had 15 carries for just 22 yards against one of the worst run defenses in the NFL in the Detroit Lions, forcing them to rely on quarterback Daniel Jones in a blowout loss. That would be recipe for more disaster against the Cowboys.
The Giants will try to force the run on Thursday in hopes of keeping Jones away from the Cowboys pass rush. It didn’t work in the first meeting between the two teams. But it’s the Giants only hope. One problem is the Cowboys defense is playing with an abundance of confidence coming off it’s best game of the season.
Edge: Cowboys
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Special Teams
This is all about Cowboys kicker Brett Maher, who is booming the ball as well or better than any kicker in the league. He is a automatic weapon for the Cowboys ever week, most especially when the game is played indoors. He has made 19 of 21 kicks this season. Maher has seven field goals from 50-or-more yards this season, which is the most field goals of 50-plus yards made in a season in team history. Maher is four-of-four from 60-plus yards in his career, the most 60-yarders in NFL history. No other kicker has more than two 60-yard field goals.
Edge: Cowboys
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Coaching
No one pushes the right buttons after a loss better than Mike McCarthy. The Cowboys are now 7-1 in games after losses since the start of the 2021 season. Overall, McCarthy is 53-36-1 (.594) in his career in weeks following a loss. Giants coach Brian Daboll is in his first year and he is 2-0 on following a loss but this is his first time managing his team after loss on a short week.
Edge: Cowboys
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Intangibles
The Cowboys have won 10 of the last 11 games against the Giants, including three straight. The last Giants win game in 2020 when Dak Prescott was injured. After losing two games against as a rookie, Prescott has won ever game he has started in the series.
Edge: Cowboys
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Prediction
Cowboys 28, Giants 17
