Dak Prescott’s last game against New York was a significant one; his fateful 2020 injury occurred almost exactly one year ago against the Giants in Dallas. While that storyline has received a lot of attention leading up today’s matchup, perhaps the bigger one is Prescott continuing his current 7-0 win streak against one of the Cowboys’ biggest rivals.
Prescott hasn’t lost a start against the Giants since his rookie year. That season, with Dallas shockingly going 13-3, their only two meaningful losses came against New York.
That Week 14 loss in 2016 was the last time that the Cowboys lost a game to the Giants with Dak starting the game. Even his exit from last year’s Week 5 matchup ended in a win; Andy Dalton came in and finished the job after Prescott had helped give Dallas a halftime lead.
The Cowboys lost their season finale to New York, this time with Dalton as the starter, in a fitting end to one of their ugliest seasons in modern history. But those were hardly the same Cowboys who the Giants will be facing later today, with the most significant difference being the man under center.
To be fair, New York hasn’t exactly been living its best life during Prescott’s run as the Cowboys’ starting QB. 2016 was the Giants’ last winning season, going 11-5 overall as they hung those two anomalous losses on Dallas.
Since then they’ve been dealing with Eli Manning’s prolonged exit, Daniel Jones’ slow beginning, and three different head-coaching changes in just four seasons. Beating the Giants during this run has been more of an expectation than an accomplishment, but Dak Prescott has delivered every time.
Heading into this afternoon’s game the Cowboys and Giants feel like two teams in very different places. Dallas is one of the hottest teams in the NFL, winning three straight and getting praised in ways we haven’t heard since 2016.
Meanwhile, New York just got its first win of 2021 and appears to still be rebuilding. Before this victory, questions about job security for HC Joe Judge and OC Jason Garrett were already being asked.
Emotions are sure to be high in Arlington today. Dak Prescott’s first game against the Giants since his injury is already a hot topic, plus anytime Jason Garrett returns here is noteworthy. And if nothing else, a little NFC East rivalry action always adds a little extra spice to Sunday.
If Prescott can improve his personal streak against the Giants to 8-0, it will be a huge blow to New York’s dwindling hopes and added momentum to what the Cowboys are building in 2021.
