Defense two good vs. ’Boys

Linebacker Jonathan Casillas said this was the ultimate statement game for the Giants’ defense. The 10-7 victory over the Cowboys on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium showed everyone how good this Giants defense can be — even without Jason Pierre-Paul. Next man up. “They’ve got two losses, both to the New York Giants, it feels great,’’ Casillas said. “During the week I was thinking maybe nobody was giving us a shot, and now the Cowboys have two losses and both to us and it feels good to say that.” How confident is the Giants defense? “When Eli [Manning] throws a pick, the defense is thinking, ‘Good.’ Not good that [Manning] got picked, but good that we can go back out there on defense again.

“We love playing with each other, we love playing for each other, it’s a great group and we are all close. Romeo Okwara had a day today, it was so great to see. Guys stepped up.’’

Okwara, starting for Pierre-Paul, led the Giants with eight tackles, registered his first career sack and had three quarterback hits.

“Our defense is phenomenal,’’ praised cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who shut down Dez Bryant.

In the end it was the Cowboys, who came in 11-1, with that only loss to the Giants, who were beaten mentally and physically.

“They seemed a little frustrated,’’ Casillas said. “We had them where we wanted them and we ended finishing them.’’

For the second time this season, just as Casillas believed the Giants would do against Dallas.