Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images Here are our bold predictions for tonight’s game. The Dallas Cowboys need to get back on track. After two brutal home losses to the New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens, the Cowboys have a short week as they prepare for a must-win game against the New York Giants. Before the two teams square off in what will be a pivotal matchup, here are three bold predictions for Thursday’s contest. Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images 1) CeeDee Lamb returns to form, recording 10 receptions and scoring two touchdowns The 2024 season has not gotten off to a great start for CeeDee Lamb. The 25-year-old All-Pro, who signed a four-year contract extension right before the start of the regular season, has been a bit underwhelming in Dallas’ three games so far. The former first-round pick has recorded 13 catches for 218 yards and a touchdown, which aren’t horrible numbers, but they are a bit underwhelming for how good of a player Lamb is. Things haven’t just been a bit shaky on the field. Lamb has had some sideline incidents in back-to-back weeks and even acknowledged that letting his emotions get the best of him last week against Baltimore might have hurt the team. Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb was accountable today in owning that his emotions got the best of him during Sunday’s loss to the Ravens: “Can’t blame nobody. Got to start with the man in the mirror, and I’m a huge believer in that…I can’t get mad at nobody else. I’ve learned.”… — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) September 25, 2024 That being said, Lamb is just too good of a player for this to continue. Dallas needs their top offensive weapon to get back on track, and there’s no better time for him to do so than this week against the Giants. New York will be without two of their top cornerbacks, Dru Phillips and Adoree’ Jackson, this Thursday, giving Lamb the perfect opportunity to have a big bounce-back game. The Giants never seem to contain CeeDee Lamb, which will continue this week. Lamb catches 10 passes and scores two touchdowns, putting the past two weeks in the rearview mirror. Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images 2) Dallas’ pass rush gets back on track, sacking Daniel Jones six times In recent history, every time the Cowboys play the Giants their pass rush seems to dominate. For a good portion of those games, the victim of the ferocious Dallas pass rush has been Giants’ signal-caller Daniel Jones. Jones, who is just 1-7 in his career against the Cowboys, has been sacked by Dallas 24 times in those eight games. Two times, Jones was sacked five or more times in a single game, including Dallas’ seven-sack performance in last year’s season opener. The Giants’ offensive line has been a bit better this season, but they still have some holes. Pro Football Focus ranks them as the 21st pass-blocking line in football, and in last week’s contest against the Browns three of their starters had a PFF pass block grade below 52. This bodes well for a Cowboys defense that desperately needs their pass rush to get back on track. On Thursday night Dallas will do just that, as Micah Parsons and company get after Daniel Jones all night long, tying a season-high with six sacks. Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images 3) Hunter Luepke scores his second NFL touchdown One positive that came out of last week’s game was the production of Cowboys’ fullback Hunter Luepke. The 24-year-old had the most productive game of his Cowboys’ career, catching two passes for 41 yards. Dak finds Hunter Luepke for a huge gain! : #BALvsDAL on FOX : https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/CWHESTZnN5 — NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024 Luepke ended up playing 30 offensive snaps in the game, by far the highest snap count of his NFL career. It’s clear Mike McCarthy has a plan to use Luepke in the offense, and we’re going to see more of that on Thursday night. The fullback is once again featured in the passing game, but this time he’ll find the end zone. Luepke scores the second touchdown of his NFL career on a seven-yard pass from Dak Prescott.

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Who wins tonight? Sentiments around the Cowboys right now are lower than they usually are at this point in the year following two straight losses. The team may have shown signs of life towards the end of their most recent game, or they may have just been racking up garbage time points against a team that let their foot off the gas too early. One way or another, the Cowboys will get a chance to bounce back from it all with a Thursday night matchup against the Giants, a team they’ve dominated in the Dak Prescott era. Will that dominance continue, though? Let’s see what our writers think. When New York has the ball Contain Malik Nabers The Giants’ offensive gameplan has been pretty simple this year: throw to Malik Nabers, throw to him again, and then throw to him one more time for good measure. Nabers leads the NFL in targets just three games into his NFL career, and Daniel Jones has a stellar 114.5 passer rating when targeting Nabers. What about when Jones throws to anyone else? His passer rating drops all the way down to 75.7; for context, Titans quarterback Will Levis is 25th in the league with a 76.5 passer rating. Suffice it to say that the Cowboys should focus all their efforts on taking Nabers out of this game. Perhaps Trevon Diggs will get a chance to show off his coverage skills against the impressive rookie, maybe with a safety shading over to whichever side of the field Nabers is on. When Dallas has the ball Establish the run Yes, we all know the Cowboys run defense is miserable right now. But what if I told you the Giants run defense is almost as bad? Only five defenses are allowing more yards per carry than New York right now, and the Giants are tied with Dallas for the most runs of 10+ yards given up so far. They’ve actually allowed more rushing yards over expected than Dallas too, which essentially means they’re giving up more than they should even if they called the right play. That’s music to the Cowboys’ ears, as they’ve struggled to establish their run game so far this season. Rico Dowdle has flashed some promise, but he’s also had limited opportunities. This could be the game where the rushing attack gets on track, especially considering the Giants have a strong pass rush featuring Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Dexter Lawrence. Now onto the predictions from your BTB writers… Tom Ryle (1-2): While I don’t say this with confidence, I expect Dallas to manage a win. I don’t think they’ll do it convincingly, and will have to rely on their most effective weapon, Brandon Aubrey, to edge the Giants. Cowboys win, 23-20. Matt Holleran (1-2): It can’t get much worse, right? The Cowboys are a mess right now, but a game against the New York Giants may be just what they need to get back on track. Dallas has won six in a row and 13 of the last 14 matchups between the two teams. I have no confidence that this game will change the long-term outlook for the Cowboys this season, but they are a better team than the Giants. It won’t be pretty and it won’t inspire much confidence, but the Cowboys get their second win of the year in New York. Give me the Cowboys, 23-20. Jess Haynie (2-1): When was the last time we felt this much trepidation about a game against the Giants? And it’s not even like they’re good; that’s just how unreliable the Cowboys are right now. But if anyone can be a slump-buster, it’s our little buddies from New York. We saw Dallas bully the Browns a few weeks ago, and I think they can do the same here. Cowboys 30, Giants 20. Brandon Loree (1-2): Coming into the season, I never believed a Thursday night matchup against the New York Giants would be a “must-win game,” but it’s certainly looking like that. The Cowboys are trying to stop a sinking ship with limited time to prepare. This is the team’s first time playing on the road with just three days rest. Maybe the offense’s game plan looks similar to what we saw against the Baltimore Ravens, but the team couldn’t score a touchdown until the fourth quarter. The defense struggled to defend Lamar Jackson, and Daniel Jones has a similar ability to run, even though he’s inferior to Jackson’s athleticism. Overall, I believe that this iteration of the team can’t lose three games in a row with this type of talent and with their backs almost breaking through the wall at this point. Give me the Cowboys to win 30-24, but I don’t feel good about it. Mike Poland (2-1): The Cowboys have some serious issues here. These last two games may be some of the worst football we’ve seen in a while. But let’s try and get some optimism here. In the last ten meetings between the Cowboys and Giants, the Cowboys have won nine. The Giants offense ranks 29th in points per game, scoring an average of 15 points. The Cowboys are 12-0 in their last 12 games when allowing fewer than 22 points. Cowboys win this one 24-20. Dana Bartholomew (1-2): While there is no guarantee that this Cowboys team will dominate the Giants as they did last season, this is the perfect opponent to begin repairing a lot of the issues on both sides of the ball. The Giants are 19th in the league in rushing yards per game. If the Cowboys are able to capitalize and stop the run, they should have some success against Daniel Jones with this pass rush. The Cowboys showed some fight in the fourth quarter against the Ravens and there were some good things offensively and defensively that the team can build off of heading into New York. Hopefully, that comeback attempt instilled some confidence in the

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images There are a couple of Giants players who present greater challenges than others. 2023 Overview It has been a rough few years for the New York Giants as they have struggled to find relevancy in the NFL. 2023 was more of the same for the G-Men as they finished 6-11 and third in the NFC East. Head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen are fighting for their jobs this season. The fanbase feels that quarterback Daniel Jones is on borrowed time, and without changing the page, it feels as if they will be stuck in neutral trying to move forward. 2023 Record: 6-11 Last Meeting: 11/12/2023 49-17 Cowboys win (Cowboys lead series 75-47-2) Head Coach: Brian Daboll (16-20-1 as head coach) Key Additions: EDGE Brian Burns, WR Malik Nabers, OL Jon Runyan Jr. Key Departures: RB Saquon Barkley, OL Wyatt Davis, LB Jihad Ward Player to watch… Malik Nabers Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images Any legit offensive weapon should put this Cowboys’ defense on high alert right now and Malik Nabers is exactly that. The dynamic rookie has been making plays and being exactly who the Giants hoped he would be when they took him in the first round. With the Cowboys having so many issues defensively, Nabers has a chance to make a true impact in front of a national stage. Trevon Diggs doesn’t typically travel, and that will most likely be the case here on Thursday night, so it sets up a scenario where Nabers could be matched up against a banged-up Caelen Carson or Andrew Booth if Carson can’t go. This is a storyline worth monitoring and Nabers is a player worth worrying about, especially with the current state of Dallas’ defense. Don’t forget about… Dexter Lawrence Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images Although Cowboys fans have been hyper-fixated on the position due to the lack of talent and production, the defensive tackle spot league-wide is typically an under-discussed position. However, the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence is rare, and is worthy of bringing up as someone the Cowboys cannot afford to forget about. Lawrence matched up against rookie Cooper Beebe is going to be a gladiator-esque battle, and if Dallas is going to win on Thursday night Beebe is going to have to be ready for war. With his ability to stuff the run and pass rush and affect the quarterback, there isn’t much Lawrence isn’t capable of doing. Add in the fact he does at near the top of the league, and it becomes a true test for this young Cowboys interior offensive line.

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports Here is all of the information you need on how to watch this week’s Dallas Cowboys game. The Dallas Cowboys will visit the New York Giants in Week 4 of the 2024 NFL season. Both teams have a 1-2 record heading into this NFC East showdown. The Cowboys are coming off another loss, this time to the Baltimore Ravens, a game that they were never really a threat to win until a strong fourth quarter comeback. But time ran out on Dallas and they will need to start much faster this week to not end up in a big hole trying to come back. The Giants enter the game fresh off their first win of the year over the Cleveland Browns. Malik Nabers is looking like a true weapon and will be a key for the Cowboys defense to contain if they want the win. The Cowboys have dominated the Giants in recent history, but this game isn’t quite the slam dunk it might have been seen as when the schedule came out. Cowboys vs Giants game info Important links: Cowboys depth chart | Roster Date: Sept. 26, 2024 Game time: 8:15 PM EST Location: MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey TV channel: Amazon Prime Coverage Map: 506 Sports Radio: 105.3 The Fan | SXM Streaming: Amazon, Sling Cowboys record: (1-2) Giants record: (1-2) Odds: Dallas -5.5, courtesy of FanDuel Prediction: Cowboys 31 – Giants 20 Enemy blog: Big Blue View Twitter: @BloggingTheBoys Facebook: Please Like us!

Madden does not like the Cowboys chances this week on the road against the Giants. This is a stressful week for the Dallas Cowboys as the mood and vibes around the team are about as down as they have been in some time. As the schedule would have it their next opportunity to wash it all away has arrived more quickly than usual. Dallas will visit the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football and they are looking for their 14th win in 15 games against their longtime rival. It is no secret that the Cowboys have owned New York in the Dak Prescott era which is why this has all of the makings of a tried and true get-right game opportunity for America’s Team. What does Madden think will happen, though? As we always do we ran a simulation of the game in the latest edition of the video game and Madden is predicting a 1-3 start for the silver and blue. Giants win a close one here. Interestingly enough Madden seems to rather hate the Cowboys in 2024. We are four simulations into this ride and the game has predicted Dallas to lose each and every single time. Week 1 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Cleveland Browns, 18-17 Week 1 In Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat Cleveland Browns, 33-17 Week 2 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to New Orleans Saints, 36-29 Week 2 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to New Orleans Saints, 44-10 Week 3 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Baltimore Ravens, 21-14 Week 3 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Baltimore Ravens, 28-25 Obviously the game was correct in each of the last two weeks, but nobody saw the flurry of activity from Dallas all happening in the final quarter of play. Football is unpredictable. What can be forecasted though is that if the Cowboys do lose to the Giants that it will send this chaotic ride we are all on into a hyperdrive of sorts. Losing to the team that they always dominate would feel like a symbolic sign that things really have jumped the shark. Here’s to hoping that we do not have to worry about this potential or possibility in any sort of way.

Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images The Giants are in an interesting situation so far this season. The Cowboys may be close to hitting rock bottom after two straight losses, and they’re in desperate need of a win. There’s no more perfect time than now to face the Giants on a short turnaround for Thursday Night Football. New York just won their first game of the season, though few would call the 21-15 victory over the Browns inspiring. This year marks the third season under head coach Brian Daboll, who took the Giants to the playoffs and won a Wild Card game in his first season. That led to a contract extension for Daniel Jones, who almost immediately made the front office regret it with his play. The Giants took a big step back on both sides of the ball last year and finished 6-11. In the wake of the crash back down to reality, Daboll made a few changes to the coaching staff. While he retained offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, and actually added “assistant head coach” to his title, Daboll took over offensive playcalling duties for this season. The Giants also lost defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who quit in a fit of rage after Daboll fired two of Martindale’s top assistants without consulting the coordinator first. To replace him, Daboll brought in Shane Bowen, who had run the Titans defense for the past four seasons. That left the Giants heading into a potential make-or-break year with two new voices on either side of the ball, at least from an operational standpoint. Daboll is now in charge of the offense and trying to salvage Jones’ career, whose contract runs through 2026 but has an out after this season. To do that, the Giants drafted LSU wideout Malik Nabers sixth overall, passing on quarterbacks JJ McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr., and Bo Nix to instead provide Jones with a go-to weapon. So far, Nabers has been exactly that. No other player in the NFL has more targets than Nabers through three games, and he’s fifth in receiving yards right now. Daboll has made Nabers a priority in the gameplan, feeding his rookie repeatedly, though much of that has to do with the lack of talent elsewhere on offense. Only one other Giants player has seen more than 10 targets so far, and it’s third-year pro Wan’Dale Robinson. Unsurprisingly, Robinson is also the only other player on the team with double-digit receptions. The team’s third-most productive pass catcher is their running back, Devin Singletary, which underscores how dire the skill group is outside of Nabers. From a scheme standpoint, Daboll has a wide variety of experiences throughout his coaching career. He thrived as Josh Allen’s coordinator in Buffalo largely because he was able to mix so many different concepts together to perfectly complement Allen’s unique skillset. So far this year, Daboll has leaned on many of the things he did in Buffalo, namely throwing the ball at one of the higher rates in the league to try and spread defenses out. The Giants’ success with Jones in 2022 was largely predicated on getting the ball out of his hands quickly, and Daboll has tried to replicate that this year. So far, Jones is 10th in average time to throw but has the ninth-lowest air yards per attempt. The fact that he’s still 10th in the league in pressure rate tells you all you need to know about the shape of this offensive line. Much of this offense right now is built around getting the ball to Nabers. Any defense that manages to contain the receiver will be able to have success, though that’s easier said than done. Making Jones hold the ball just a tick longer is all it takes for a good pass rush to get in his face, which is when Jones’ worst tendencies usually come out. On the defensive side of the ball, Bowen has struggled to live up to the hype that was built when the Giants traded for star edge rusher Brian Burns. Bowen brings a drastically different scheme from the blitz-happy Martindale, preferring to primarily rush four and pick and choose when he blitzes. Bowen also relies more on zone coverage schemes, whereas Martindale lived and died in press man coverage. So far, it’s been a mixed bag on the field. Burns has just one sack among nine pressures, which ties him for 26th among edge rushers. His running mate, Kayvon Thibodeaux, has yet to record a sack and his six pressures are tied for 51st. Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has done well, with three sacks and 17 pressures, but most of the team’s pass rush – they’re 10th in pressure rate and and second in sacks – has come by way of Lawrence and well-timed blitzes. Opposing offenses have largely combatted this with quick hitters in the pass game – the Giants are seeing the third-fastest time to throw against them – but primarily strong running games. Only five teams are giving up more yards per carry – sadly, the Cowboys are one of them – and they’re allowing the second-most rushing yards over expected, even more than Dallas. They’re also tied with the Cowboys for most yards after contact allowed. In other words, this defense frequently gives up quick passes underneath and struggles to prevent big running plays, having already allowed 17 runs of 10 yards or more. That should be music to the ears of these Cowboys running backs, who have had a rough go of things so far this season. The Giants may have two new voices calling the plays this year, but it hasn’t changed the same old talent problems that led to a 6-11 finish a year ago. If anything, the talent gap between them and the Cowboys has widened, and many of the Giants’ deficiencies line up well with what the Cowboys are looking to do in their own schemes. On paper, that should make for a very winnable game