Sometimes, the Thanksgiving dinner is just… fine. The food was decent enough, everyone at the table got along, and nobody burned the house down trying to deep-fry the turkey. There was a zinger of a side dish and in the end there was plenty of pie, but nothing about the day really knocked your socks off.
No one in Cowboys Nation will complain about the team’s 27-20 win over the Giants − the Cowboys‘ first home victory this season − but it wasn’t an overly impressive win. DeMarvion Overshown’s tip-drill interception touchdown and overall performance was the highlight, to be sure, but a look beyond that magical moment shows few other bright spots that could signal hope for the closing five-game stretch run of the 2024 season.
There are still concerns. The offense still bogs down way too often, and the defense clearly has an issue containing quarterbacks who can run. Injuries are still plaguing the entire team, and one sometime superstar had another off day… much to the chagrin of those who expect a level of consistency more on par with his astronomical salary.
But a win is a win, and now the Cowboys have strung two of them together, creating some newfound optimism as they head into the mini-bye week and prep for a trio of upcoming opponents who currently have losing records.
Here’s a look back at the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Cowboys’ perfectly serviceable Thanksgiving Day win.
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Good: Dowdle’s dynamite day
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 28: Cooper Rush #10 of the Dallas Cowboys hands the ball to Rico Dowdle #23 during the first quarter against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on November 28, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Watching Rico Dowdle tear through the Giants like an electric carving knife through the holiday bird, it’s hard to believe the Cowboys haven’t viewed him as their top backfield option since Week 1. The fifth-year ball carrier notched a career-high 22 carries on Thursday and recorded 112 yards, the first time he’s ever hit triple digits, scoring his first touchdown of the season along the way. He also put up four runs of over 10 yards, including the longest Cowboys run of the season at 22 yards. More impressive, 104 of his rushing yards came after contact; Dowdle forced 10 missed tackles in the Week 13 win. It’s a great time for Dowdle to get on a roll; the Cowboys’ next three opponents (Cincinnati, Carolina, Tampa Bay) all fall in the bottom half of the league in yards per carry allowed.
Bad: Letting Lock loose
Nov 28, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock (2) rushes for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images
The Cowboys defense managed to keep the Giants running backs under wraps, but quarterback Drew Lock was the latest mobile passer to be a thorn in their side. For the fourth game in a row, the Cowboys allowed their opponent’s signal-caller to average eight yards or more per run. Though the pass rush got to him plenty, Lock still led the Giants on Thursday with 57 ground yards and a touchdown. Most of that yardage came on just a pair of runs (for 28 and 21 yards) that comprised Big Blue’s two longest plays from scrimmage. Lock nearly ended the day with two rushing scores, but replay review determined his first-quarter scramble came up just short of the goal line. Of Dallas’s five remaining contests, four are against a quarterback currently in the league’s top 15 in yards per carry.
Ugly: Injury bug doesn’t take holiday off
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 17: Juanyeh Thomas #30 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates after a defensive play during the first quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders during a preseason game at Allegiant Stadium on August 17, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)
Injuries continue to ravage the Cowboys roster, with several new players joining the list of the wounded. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb appeared to re-aggravate his sprained shoulder and sat out the fourth quarter, while left tackle Tyler Guyton exited early with a high-ankle sprain, cornerback Josh Butler suffered a knee injury, and special-teams star Juanyeh Thomas was carted off with what looked to be a serious knee injury of his own. Trevon Diggs, Zack Martin, Jake Ferguson, and Marshawn Kneeland were already made inactive before the Week 13 kickoff; they’ll all have a mini-bye week to try to rehab themselves back onto the field in time for the Cowboys’ next game, Dec. 9 versus the Bengals.
Good: Getting Cooks back in the kitchen
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 28: Brandin Cooks #3 of the Dallas Cowboys catches a touchdown pass against Adoree’ Jackson #21 of the New York Giants during the third quarter at AT&T Stadium on November 28, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
He caught just three passes on seven targets, but Brandin Cooks came up huge in his return to action after nearly two months missed due to a knee infection. His two-yard catch in the corner of the end zone capped off a six-play drive in the third quarter and widened Dallas’s lead to 10, and his three-yard diving grab with under two minutes to play moved the chains on a key third down to ice the win. KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Tolbert, and other receivers have stepped up in various moments in Cooks’s absence, but the Cowboys’ passing game just has a different threat level when the 11-year veteran is on the field in his WR2 role.
Bad: Rough patch for offense in second quarter
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 28: Cooper Rush #10 of the Dallas Cowboys throws a pass during the second quarter against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on November 28, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
The Cowboys offense wasn’t exactly a well-oiled machine against the Giants. Of the 27 points scored, 14 came as a result of a defensive takeaway. Dallas’s struggles to move the ball were most noticeable in the second quarter. After a 13-play, 70-yard drive that ended in a field goal, the Cowboys couldn’t get anything else going and ran just 15 plays over the next four possessions, gaining a combined total of 45 yards. Three of those drives ended in punts; one was a turnover on downs. In those four drives, Cooper Rush went just 3-of-11 passing and the team gained seven yards rushing. Thankfully, the offense found its rhythm after the intermission, scoring touchdowns on both its third-quarter possessions to change the tenor of the game, but the long stretches of ineffectiveness continue to plague the unit at times.
Ugly: CeeDee’s stat line
CLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 08: CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys looks on from the sideline in the third quarter of the game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on September 08, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CeeDee Lamb ended Thursday with one of the lowest catch percentages of his career, reeling in just two of six targets for the day for a lowly 39 yards. Yes, he got fewer opportunities thanks to a re-aggravation of a previous shoulder injury that forced him to miss the final quarter of play. But Lamb had a case of the oopsies even before that, dropping three relatively easy passes in the first half. It’s not uncommon for Lamb to have the occasional game where he checks out mentally after early struggles, and it seemed to happen again versus the Giants. Drops have been an issue for Lamb, who missed all of training camp with a holdout. After posting a career-best 74.6% catch percentage last season, he’s dropped all the way to 63.7% so far this year.
