Rico Dowdle ran for 112 yards and a touchdown while the Dallas Cowboys’ defense came up with six sacks and a pick-6 Thursday in a 27-20 win over the visiting New York Giants in Arlington, Texas.
Cooper Rush completed 21 of 36 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown as Dallas (5-7) became the last franchise in the four major sports to win a home game in this calendar year. It was the team’s second win in five days, keeping alive its long-shot hopes for an NFC playoff berth.
Drew Lock hit 21 of 32 passes for 178 yards and an interception for New York, which dropped to 2-10 with its seventh straight loss. Lock pulled the Giants within a touchdown on an 8-yard run with 2:18 left in the game.
However, Dallas was able to seal the outcome via Rush’s 3-yard pass to Brandin Cooks to gain a first down on the first play after the two-minute warning.
The Cowboys took control with two third-quarter touchdowns, giving them a 27-10 advantage. Rush threw to Cooks for a 2-yard strike at the 11:37 mark and Dowdle added a 4-yard touchdown run just more than seven minutes later.
Dallas finished with a 317-247 advantage in total yards as it completed a season sweep of New York.
The pregame storyline concerned how New York would perform offensively while adjusting to its third different starting quarterback in as many weeks. Daniel Jones started during a Nov. 10 loss to Carolina, while Tommy DeVito got the call last Sunday against Tampa Bay but was injured.
With Lock calling signals, the Giants took a 7-3 lead with 3:06 left in the first quarter as Tyrone Tracy Jr. capped a drive of nearly seven minutes on a 1-yard touchdown run. But that lead would not last.
Dallas moved in front with two scores in 15 seconds — Brandon Aubrey’s 33-yard field goal and a 23-yard interception return by DeMarvion Overshown with 11:29 remaining in the second quarter. Graham Gano bombed a 46-yard field goal 3:21 before the half, making it 13-10 at intermission.
