The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Giants set to face red-hot Cowboys
The Giants, stuck in a .500rut after dropping their first two, bouncing back with a three-game winning streak, then losing 27-0 at Philadelphia, take on the Cowboys today.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS » Tony Romo was in his first full season as a starter when the Dallas Cowboys last strung together enough wins to have one of the NFL’s best records. The franchise didn’t exist the only other time a running back started a season the way DeMarco Murray has.
Speaking of history, that’s how the New York Giants categorize last week’s dud in Philadelphia.
The Cowboys (5-1) play their first NFC East opponent today after winning at Super Bowl champion Seattle. That triggered questions whether they can live with the sudden — and some would say unexpected — success.
After three straight 8-8 seasons and a four-year playoff drought, there’s a pretty simple answer.
“Anybody who’s been around here for an extended period of time, you know that humility’s right around the corner,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “This team’s been, this organization’s been mediocre the last three-plus years. So no one’s taking anything for granted.”
The Giants (3-3) are the team stuck in the .500 rut right now after dropping their first two, bouncing back with a three-game winning streak, then losing 27-0 at Philadelphia, co-leader with Dallas in the division.
New York also lost receiver Victor Cruz to a season-ending patellar tendon tear in his right knee against the Eagles, and will be without leading rusher Rashad Jennings for the second straight game.
“I think we’ve responded well to the losses when we’ve had them or when we’ve had a tough game this year,” said quarterback Eli Manning, who was sacked six times and held to 151 yards passing. “We know we have to play better than we did.”
Murray is a big reason the Cowboys are in position for their first sixgame winning streak since 2007, when they were the top seed in the NFC at 13-3. That was the first full season with Romo, and they lost in the playoffs to the Giants. New York went on to beat undefeated New England in the Super Bowl.
The fourth-year back can become the first with seven straight 100-yard games to start a season. With 115 yards against Seattle’s then-No. 1 run defense, Murray tied Hall of Famer Jim Brown’s record of six in a row set in 1958 — two years before the Cowboys debuted.
Things to consider as Manning goes for his fifth win in six games in the relatively new home of the Cowboys: