Dak notches perfect mark as Cowboys rout Giants
ARLINGTON, Texas – Dak Prescott and the Cowboys didn’t agree to a contract extension before the regular-season opener.
That didn’t stop Dallas’ quarterback from lighting up the Giants on Sunday. Prescott notched a perfect passer rating with 405 yards and four touchdowns as the Cowboys thoroughly outplayed the Giants to the tune of a 35-17 win. Here are three things we learned:
1. Dak Prescott isn’t playing distracted: Prescott told reporters on Thursday that “obviously” he wants to see his extension done. But “my focus is all on the Giants,” Prescott added. “The Giants’ defense, what this team needs to do to win the game, and then next week we’ll go the next opponent.”
On Sunday, he backed up that assertion, passing for more yards in the first half (256) than he averaged in full games last season (242.8). He rushed twice more for 14 yards.
And he used his array of weapons masterfully. Seven Cowboys caught passes from the quarterback, with both Michael Gallup and Amari Cooper each surpassing the 100-yard mark. Firstyear coordinator Kellen Moore’s scheme was effective for a team that stalled often in the red zone last season.
2. Jason Witten: Still a Giant killer? The Cowboys’ 37-year-old tight end caught his 16th career touchdown against the Giants. Witten caught three passes for 15 yards in total as he played in his first game since December 2017. Questions surfaced in the spring when Witten decided to leave ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” booth to rejoin the Cowboys on a one-year deal. Witten has said since then that he feels good and isn’t coming back to play de facto cheerleader: He wants to help the offense.
In his return debut, he did. And his presence didn’t nullify tight end Blake Jarwin, who showed promise for the Cowboys last year, including a threetouchdown Week 17 performance versus the Giants. Jarwin scored first for Dallas on Sunday, giving him four career TDs – all against the Giants, and all in the Cowboys’ last two games.
3. Cowboys’ D starts slow, rebounds: Saquon Barkley gashed the Cowboys’ defense early with a 59-yard run on the Giants’ first offensive drive to set up tight end Evan Engram’s 1-yard TD reception. But the Cowboys’ D didn’t allow another touchdown until 2:49 remained in the fourth quarter.
Two-time Pro Bowl defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence returned from offseason shoulder surgery with an active day in which he wrapped up Giants quarterback Eli Manning for a thirdquarter strip sack. A Leighton Vander Esch pursuit of Manning triggered an intentional grounding penalty to kill another Giants drive. Safety Jeff Heath and cornerback Jourdan Lewis each batted down passes in the end zone.