Preview of the Giants vs. Cowboys NFL Week 2 matchup on Sunday at AT&T Stadium:
Highlight Matchup
Giants WR Mariknabels vs. Cowboys CB Trebondigs
During his rookie season, Nabers mentioned that Diggs was the one cornerback he couldn’t wait to face. It was meant as a compliment, yet Diggs initially took it as an insult. In their first meeting, despite Nabers’ impressive stats of 12 catches for 115 yards, the Cowboys triumphed, leaving Diggs impressed.
“I’m looking forward to all the battles we have,” Diggs said. However, he missed the rematch last season due to injury.
Four Highlights
The Lamb’s Drop: After a rough previous season, where he had seven drop passes, Ceedee Lamb opened this year with three drops in a loss to the Eagles. He spent nearly half the time lining up in the slot, which could mean a lot of work for Dru Phillips.
“A great receiver in all aspects,” said Nickelbach in his second season. “He knows what he’s doing. It’s just a challenge to bring your ‘A’ game every time.”
Is it reassuring that Lamb struggled with drops last week? “I hope everyone drops it now and then; it’s great,” said Phillips. “You can’t rely on it.”
Lamb recalls how he aggravated an earlier shoulder injury due to Phillips last season. “He tackled me and hurt me,” Lamb said, adding, “I have something for him.”
Prescott’s Dominance: Dak Prescott is currently tied with Tom Brady for the second-longest winning streak by a QB against a single team, with 13 victories over the Giants. If he wins this week, he’ll trail only Bob Griese’s 17 consecutive wins against the Bills.
“I want to keep that going,” Prescott stated. “I study and prepare to ensure I can maintain this.” In 15 games against the Giants, he has racked up 29 touchdown passes, 8 interceptions, and a passer rating of 102.4.
Slayton’s Challenge: Darius Slayton participated in 66 out of 68 snaps in the opener but was only targeted once and didn’t catch a pass. With the Cowboys missing a starting cornerback, the Giants might rely on inexperienced players to step up.
The Cowboys picked up a player cut by the Vikings after training camp. This rookie has only played in one prior NFL game with the Bears. The Giants need Slayton to enhance his performance, especially with Wan’dale Robinson dealing with an ankle issue.
Next Man Up: Losing linebacker Mika McFadden is a setback for the Giants’ defense. Darius Musau, who filled in for McFadden in seven games last season, is prepared to step up.
“I was ready to take my chance,” Musau shared. “Unfortunately, I have to do so earlier in the season with Mika’s injury. You don’t want to see a teammate go down like this.” Expect rookie Abdul Carter to also see some snaps at linebacker.
Predictions
It’s early in the season, but this is the Cowboys’ home opener, and they’ve had success against the Giants for quite some time. In week one, the team struggled to create optimism, which makes predicting their potential hard. Until they prove otherwise, it’s tough to see a turnaround.
Cowboys 24, Giants 10
