Prescott, Elliott have Cowboys in prime spot

COWBOYS AT GIANTS

Time: 7: 30 p. m., Ch. 5. Line: Cowboys by 2 ½ . Total: 47 ½ . Records ( overall/ ATS): Cowboys 11- 1/ 9- 2- 1; Giants 8- 4/ 5- 5- 2.

The Cowboys were far from the scourge of the NFL in Week 1. In fact, they looked like a team that would suffer through some rookie growing pains in a 20- 19 loss to the Giants at AT& T Stadium. Dak Prescott, after an impressive preseason, was just OK in his regular- season debut — 25- for- 45 for 227 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions for a 69.4 passer rating. Ezekiel Elliott scored on an eight- yard run, but that was his longest run of the day. He gained 51 yards on 20 carries.

But since then, Prescott and Elliott have become the best rookies in the NFL, sparking the Cowboys to the best record in the league. Elliott is leading the NFL in rushing ( 1,285 yards, 4.9- yard average, 12 touchdowns). Prescott is third in passer rating ( 108.6, 19 touchdowns, two interceptions). He has had a 100- plus rating in 10 of the 11 games after the loss to the Giants.

“I watched back the tape [ of the Week 1 game], and I shake my head sometimes at the things I did or the throws I didn’t make because I wasn’t trusting it,” Prescott told reporters this week. “I’ve definitely grown a ton since then, just being able to see the defenses faster, recognize what’s going on, making confident decisions.”

The Giants have parlayed that victory and some fortuitous scheduling into playoff contention. They have yet to beat a team that wasn’t in some kind of slump or even coming off a victory. But this time, they’re facing the wrong team at the wrong time.

Pick: Cowboys 34, Giants 21.