Giants Snap Losing Streak Against Cowboys
The New York Giants needed just one chance to turn their fortunes around against the Dallas Cowboys. After a frustrating decade with Dak Prescott, this game not only ended a nine-game losing streak but also marked a rare winning moment for the team. It may have put them in a tough spot for the upcoming draft, but perhaps that’s the risk they were willing to take, especially considering the fans looking ahead to the future.
In the last game of the regular season, both teams were still fighting for playoffs hopes. The Giants managed to score five times in a row, beating the Cowboys 34-17 at MetLife Stadium. This victory wrapped up the regular season with their second consecutive win, which is something pretty unusual for them.
After recently securing the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, the Giants (4-13) now find themselves in an awkward position for the next draft—picking somewhere between No. 3 and No. 6, depending on the results from the day’s games. Even if they had lost, they remained in contention for at least the No. 2 pick, potentially gaining significant capital from a quarterback-needy team. I mean, it seems like a win-win, right?
Despite the prevailing sense of losing, the Giants didn’t play or coach like a team indifferent to the outcome. Owner John Mara, who’s been facing health challenges, had a moment of joy, which is hard to come by lately. In contrast, the Cowboys (7-9-1) didn’t quite have the same energy.
Jackson Dart shined in his first career start, tossing two touchdown passes against Prescott, who had managed to win every game in the series since 2017. It’s noteworthy that Prescott had missed key playoff games against the Giants in 2016 and was sidelined for their previous encounter, leading to a loss.
But how much significance does this win hold for Prescott? Apparently not enough for him to risk injury by staying in the game longer into the second half.
Even with Jerry Jones emphasizing the importance of ending the season at .500, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer switched Prescott out for Joe Milton during halftime when they were trailing 16-10.
As the fourth quarter unfolded in front of a half-filled stadium, the Giants kicked a field goal, extending their lead to 24-17 before a critical interception by Bobby Okereke and a touchdown run by Devin Singletary leveled the game.
Looking ahead, the continued development of Dart will certainly influence the head coaching search that kicks off with formal interviews this coming Monday. However, the Giants need to address another situation first—the departure of their general manager, Joe Schoen. Given the team’s 7-27 record over the past two seasons, any change might be unexpected but perhaps necessary.
Interestingly, this late-season winning streak is the Giants’ first since late in the 2023 season when rookie Tommy DeVito managed to pull off three wins in a row.
In the initial half, the Giants secured three field goals, even managing to capitalize on a situation that could have been disastrous thanks to a fumble recovery by Okereke after a well-placed punt to the 1-yard line. Yet, they found themselves trailing 10-9 near the end of the second quarter.
While facing a challenging situation with a 3rd-and-16, Dart cleverly evaded a sack and threw a sidearm pass to Daniel Bellinger, hoping to maintain some viable field goal range. Instead, Bellinger dodged a missed tackle and raced into the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown, showcasing that Dart’s improvisational skills offered the Giants a glimmer of hope.
The excitement didn’t stop there. Dart’s second touchdown pass to Tyrone Tracy Jr. ignited some sparks at the line of scrimmage. The aftermath saw Quinnen Williams tackling left tackle Marcus Mbou to the ground as tensions boiled over, leading to Donovan Ezeilhak’s ejection for removing Greg Van Roten’s helmet.
A creative play then resulted in a two-point conversion from Singletary to Darius Slayton. The Giants held onto a 24-10 lead, despite allowing a touchdown right at the start of the fourth quarter. Yet, it served as a bittersweet reminder for fans who endured a tumultuous season filled with blown leads.
Tracy also made a notable impact, finishing the game with 103 rushing yards—the first 100-yard game for a Giants running back this season. A small win in a mostly rough year, I suppose.
