It took six tries and nearly three months of the season, but for the first time in 2024, the Dallas Cowboys are winners at home.
Dallas flustered and frustrated New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock in a 27-20 Thanksgiving win on Thursday.
The win was a second straight for the Cowboys in a season marked by disappointment. It was the first win at home after going 0-5 at AT&T Stadium. It comes against a Giants team (2-10) that’s in the midst of a worse season than the Cowboys.
Lock got his first start on Thursday since signing with the Giants in the offseason. It did not go well.
DeMarvion Overshown broke up a screen play in the first half and intercepted the tipped ball for a pick 6 for Dallas’ first touchdown of the day.
The Giants had a shot to tie or take the lead on the first possession of the second half but Lock turned the ball over again on a strip-sack by Eric Kendricks. Overshown was there again for the turnover and jumped on the loose ball for the fumble recovery.
Six plays later, Rico Dowdle crossed the goal line for a 4-yard touchdown run to extend the Cowboys’ lead to 20-10, and the game was effectively over. A touchdown pass from Cooper Rush to Brandin Cooks extended the Dallas lead to 27-10, and the Cowboys were in control late in the third quarter.
A field goal and a late touchdown scramble by Lock cut the lead to one possession and put pressure on the Cowboys in the game’s final minutes. But there was no Giants rally, and the Cowboys secured the win to improve to 5-7 on the season.
The Cowboys sacked Lock six times. They forced one interception and a forced fumble. Lock finished the day completing 21 of 32 passes for 178 yards with no passing touchdowns and the pick-6.
On offense, the Cowboys controlled the game on the ground and got 112 yards and a touchdown from Dowdle. Rush completed 21 of 36 passes for 195 yards with a touchdown and no turnovers.
The win does little to improve the Cowboys’ long-shot hope of making the playoffs as they play the stretch run without injured starting quarterback Dak Prescott. But it was certainly better than the alternative, which would have been another embarrassing loss at home on Thanksgiving stage.
The Giants’ season goes from bad to worse with the loss. Lock is New York’s third quarterback to start this season after the benching and release of Daniel Jones. Tommy DeVito started last week in a blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Neither provide hope of making the Giants competitive. New York’s 2-10 record is the worst in the NFL.
LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER33 updates
Brandin Cooks catch, first down seals Cowboys win
That’s it. Brandin Cooks just made a tough first-down catch at the sideline, and the Cowboys can run out the clock on a 27-20 win.
Giants kick it back to Cowboys
The Giants opted against an onside kick and kicked the ball back to the Cowboys with 2:18 remaining. Can the Cowboys run out the clock on a 27-20 win?
Drew Lock TD give Giants late hope
The Giants aren’t done yet. Drew Lock just capped an eight-play, 80-yard drive with an eight-yard touchdown scramble to cut the Cowboys lead to 27-20. Now what? Do the Giants kick it back to the Cowboys with two timeouts and 2:18 remaining? Or do they attempt an onside kick?
Giants have the ball again
Another Cowboys punt, and another chance for Drew Lock. The Giants have the ball back with 4:39 remaining and a 27-13 deficit.
Another sack, another Giants punt
The Cowboys sacked Drew Lock for the sixth time of the day, and the Giants have punted with 6:59 remaining. Dallas will look to run off as much of the clock as it can.
Cowboys punt; Can Giants mount rally?
The Cowboys punted back to the Giants with 9:51 left in the fourth quarter. Can the Giants mount a rally? Drew Lock’s shown little to demonstrate that a Giants comeback is feasible down, 27-13.
Giants settle for FG after another sack of Drew Lock
Micah Parsons and Mazi Smith combined to sack Drew Lock on second down, and the Giants ultimately settled for a field goal. The Cowboys lead is down to two scores. Dallas leads, 27-13 with 13:34 remaining.
Cowboys take 27-10 lead into fourth quarter
Drew Lock and the Giants are driving but have a lot of work to in the game’s final 15 minutes. Dallas carries a 27-10 lead into the fourth quarter. The Giants will face second-and-5 from the Cowboys 25 to start the fourth.
Rico Dowdle extends Cowboys lead to 3 scores
The Cowboys are in full control. Rico Dowdle capped a nine-play, 70-yard Dallas drive with a four-yard touchdown run to extend the Cowboys lead to 27-10 late in the third quarter. Giants quarterback Drew Lock has done little to suggest he can lead a New York rally.
Another sack of Drew Lock forces a Giants punt
The rough Thanksgiving for Drew Lock continues. Micah Parsons sacked him on third down to force a Giants punt, and the Cowboys have a chance to extend their lead to three scores.
Cowboys score 1 play after near-fumble
The Cowboys capitalized after the fumble by Cooper Rush was overturned. One play later, Rush found Brandin Cooks in the end zone to extend the Cowboys lead to 20-10 early in the third quarter. There’s hope in Dallas for the first home win of the season.
Cowboys catch a break
Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush appeared to lose a fumble at the goal line. But replay showed that his knee was down before he lost the ball, and the Cowboys hold on.
Disaster for Giants to start the second half
Drew Lock fumbled on New York’s first drive of the second half, and the Cowboys recovered. It’s the second turnover for the day for Lock in his first start of the season.
Again, it was DeMarvion Overshown on the ball. The Cowboys linebacker recovered the fumble on the strip sack by Eric Kendricks. Overshown scored Dallas’ lone first-half touchdown on a pick-6 of Lock.
Second half is underway
We’re underway in the third quarter. The Giants have the ball first, trailing 13-10.
Cowboys 13, Giants 10: Key first-half stats
Cooper Rush: 12 of 24 for 116 yards with no touchdowns or turnovers Drew Lock: 8 of 17 for 55 yards with no touchdowns and 1 interception (returned for touchdown)
Rico Dowdle: 8 carries for 50 yards Tyrone Tracy Jr: 4 carries for 16 yards and 1 touchdown
CeeDee Lamb: 2 catches for 39 yards, 3 dropped passes Malik Nabers: 5 catches for 39 yards
Cowboys total yards: 175 Giants total yards: 103
Cowboys yards per play: 4.7 Giants yards per play: 3.1
Cowboys turnovers: 0 Giants turnovers: 1
Sack of Drew Lock ends first half
The Giants gave it a shot at tying the game before halftime. But New York’s final drive of the second quarter ended with a sack of Drew Lock on first-and-10 from the Giants 40. It was a fitting end to a half with little to like from either offense.
Trading punts
This game is struggling for offensive consistency. Tom Brady doesn’t sound amused in the broadcast booth. In three drives, the Giants and Cowboys totaled 10 plays and 6 yards.
CeeDee’s rough day continues
It’s never a good thing when the Fox broadcast flashes a graphic with your star receiver’s image with the “Dropped passes” headline on it. We’re up to 3 now for Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb.
Another punt forthcoming for the Cowboys, which is being greeted with boos from the crowd at JerryWorld.
3 instead of 7 for Giants
The Giants didn’t move the ball much after starting on the Cowboys’ 29-yard line. The drive for a first down ended on a Malik Nabers drop on third-and-9 (he was well short of the sticks, even if he caught it).
Graham Gano’s 46-yard FG narrows Dallas’ lead.
Giant special teams come through
Giants punter Jamie Gillan pinned the Cowboys on their 1-yard line and New York forced a three-and-out. New York gets to start its drive in Dallas territory.
