5 things to watch when Cowboys close out the regular season vs. Giants
Jason Garrett and Jerry Jones have sung the same song since the moment last week’s win was official.
The Dallas Cowboys will treat Sunday’s season finale against the New York Giants as if it means everything.
In reality, it means nothing. They know it, the players know it. This goes for both teams. The Giants (5-10) are going nowhere and the Cowboys (9-6) postseason fate is set in stone. They’ll host either the Seahawks or Vikings in the wild card round on Jan. 5 or 6 at AT&T Stadium.
Here are five things to watch when the Cowboys finish the regular season against the Giants:
1. The Clearing
The most important thing that will happen Sunday (barring any serious injury) will be learning who the Cowboys will host in the wild card game on Jan. 5 or 6. It’s most likely going to be the Seattle Seahawks on either Jan. 5 or 6 at AT&T Stadium. But it also could be the Minnesota Vikings. If the Vikings beat the Bears and Seahawks lose to the Cardinals (3-12), Dallas would play Minnesota. One other possibility: If the Vikings lose and the Eagles beat the Redskins, the Eagles would earn the second wild card spot and play at Chicago.
Got all that?
2. To Care Or Not To Care
That is the question. Of course you’d like to win every game you play, no matter what. No coach or athlete is going to be indifferent when there is a winner and a loser. But how much should you believe Garrett and Jones and most of the Cowboys players this week when they talk of the importance of Sunday’s game? Not much. Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott are unlikely to play more than a quarter. Amari Cooper probably won’t play more than a half. Sean Lee’s return to the field will help give Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch fewer snaps. DeMarcus Lawrence was one of the few candid Cowboys about playing time. He doesn’t think he should be playing more than a half. He shouldn’t.
3. Zeke’s rushing title
Ezekiel Elliott leads the league in rushing going into the finale. He leads the Rams’ Todd Gurley by 183 yards. The Rams (12-3) finish against the 49ers, who are 12th in rush defense. Gurley didn’t play last week because of a knee injury. Chances are high he won’t play much against the 49ers. The Rams, however, are fighting to hold the No. 2 seed in the NFC. If they lost and the Bears beat the Vikings, Chicago would earn the No. 2 spot, behind the No. 1-seeded New Orleans Saints.
4. Defensive end
The last time the Cowboys led the league in defense (yards allowed) was 2003. The 2018 unit is currently ranked sixth with 4,827 yards allowed. That would be their best finish since ‘03. They ranked 8th in 2017. The three defenses directly ahead of the Cowboys (Vikings, Bears and Jags) have allowed about 200 fewer yards. The Ravens lead the league with 4,261 yards allowed, with the Bills at No. 2 with 4,481. The Cowboys’ 289 points allowed are currently fourth in the league.
5. Keep them safe
Right guard Zack Martin and left tackle Tyron Smith are both listed as questionable (as of Friday afternoon). Both have battled nagging injuries and missed action this season. It’s highly unlikely Martin, who missed the first game of his career two weeks ago with an MCL sprain in his left knee, will play at all. Smith has a right elbow injury and dealt with a neck stinger previously. Defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford, who left last week’s game with a neck injury, is doing well but he’s already been ruled out, along with David Irving.
This story was originally published December 28, 2018 at 3:20 PM.