NY Giants losses to injuries far more consequential than loss to Cowboys | Takeaways
Losing Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, and Kenny Golladay to injuries casts a pall over the NY Giants’ season, during a loss Sunday to the Dallas Cowboys
The NY Giants’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys is a secondary concern, compared to the losses suffered on the injury front Sunday afternoon.
That the Giants fell to the Cowboys 44-20, while allowing 199 rushing yards and Dak Prescott to complete 70 percent of passes for 302 yards with three touchdowns, matters little in the grand scheme of things, after three of New York’s most important offensive players suffered serious injuries in Arlington.
Running back Saquon Barkley appeared to suffer a significant ankle injury that forced him to be carted off the field into the NY Giants’ locker room and a very uncertain future that awaits him. Kenny Golladay went down with a knee injury late in the first half, and most consequential was quarterback Daniel Jones suffering a concussion on a nasty helmet-to-helmet hit in the second quarter.
Sunday’s game devolved into a war of attrition, as Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott suffered a back injury, but returned two plays later to high step into the end zone for a touchdown. Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper hobbled off at one point.
However, the injuries the Giants were forced to withstand could cast a cloud over the rest of the season.
Despite the mounting injuries, the NY Giants have to be encouraged by the fight shown by some of the players lower on the depth chart; with Devontae Booker adding a touchdown with 3:18 remaining, to pull within 34-20, and a gutty performance from backup quarterback Mike Glennon.
This season, especially following a 1-3 start, was all about evaluating Jones’ ability to become one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks, and he made major strides in that regard, coming of age against the Saints last week. However, if Jones is forced to miss significant time, that evaluation will be clouded. Likewise, Barkley’s quest to prove he can stay healthy and return to his dominant form hit a snag Sunday afternoon.
Cowboys’ receivers simply overwhelm NY Giants’ secondary
Amari Cooper against Rodarious Williams is always going to be a mismatch, and that was the case in the waning moments of the first half Sunday.
The Cowboys managed to get Cooper isolated against Williams, with :36 remaining in the second quarter, and Prescott hit him for a 24-yard touchdown with a perfectly placed pass.
Earlier, CeeDee Lamb beat James Bradberry on a nine-route down the sideline for a 47-yard touchdown.
Lamb and Cooper combined for 144 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while showing just how significant an impact chunk plays can make on the outcome of a game.
Dallas’ offense is loaded with playmakers around Prescott, and will tax even the most dominant defenses in the NFL, on their best days. The NY Giants’ inability to pressure the quarterback is going to force the secondary to play a perfect game, and New York was unable to do that on Sunday afternoon.