Dallas Cowboys fall behind by double digits, but bounce back to take a halftime lead
The early horror show continued for the Dallas Cowboys against the winless New York Giants Sunday, but for a change the comeback occurred before halftime.
They trailed 17-3 in the second quarter, thanks in part to a Dak Prescott interception that was returned for a touchdown.
It was the fourth straight game in which they trailed by 14 or more points
The Cowboys made the score 17-10 when running back Ezekiel Elliott capped a 14-play, 75-yard drive with a 1-yard run.
And they came all the way back on a sack and forced fumble by DeMarcus Lawrence. Anthony Brown scooped it up and ran 29 yards to the end zone to tie the game at 17-17.
The Giants took a 20-17 lead on a Graham Gano field goal. But it was almost 24-17 but a touchdown pass on a fake field goal goal that caught the Cowboys napping was nullified by a penalty for an illegal shift.
But Cowboys came all the way back to take their first half-time lead of the season and they did it on the famed “Philly special”.
Prescott took the Cowboys 75 yards in 35 seconds and got the touchdown himself after handing the ball to Elliott, who pitched it back to receiver CeeDee Lamb, who then tossed an 11-yard touchdown pass to the quarterback in the right corner of the end zone.
The Cowboys led 24-20 at halftime.
The game has huge ramifications for the Cowboys who are looking to rebound from their worst start in 10 years.
A win would give them sole possession of first place in the NFC East with a 2-3 record.
A Cowboys loss would put the Giants right in the thick of things at 1-4 with the Philadelphia Eagles at 1-3-1 and the Cowboys and Washington at 1-4.
Jason Garrett’s revenge
Former Cowboys head coach and now Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett hugged owner Jerry Jones before the game and then had fun toying with his inept defense.
Garrett called a flea flicker and an end around on the 75-yard scoring drive in the first quarter.
It was the Giants’ first touchdown in eight quarters, dating back to the 14:18 mark of the fourth quarter in a Week 2 loss against the Bears.
The Giants had scored just three touchdowns all season but got two the first quarter against the Cowboys when linebacker Kyler Fackrell had a 46-yard interception return for a touchdown on a high pass by Prescott that went off Ezekiel Elliott‘s fingers, giving the Giants a 14-3 lead.
Offense contributes to early deficit again
The Cowboys entered the Giants game having just seven snaps with the lead through four games, ranking last in the league.
That trend continued in the first half on Sunday.
As after the Giants took a 7-3 lead, Prescott tossed a pick six after a high pass tipped off the hands of running back Ezekiel Elliott.
This was after a promising opening drive was averted by a bad snap from rookie center Tyler Biadasz after the Cowboys had a second and goal from the 4.
The Cowboys had to settle for a 24-yard field goal.
The Cowboys trailed 17-3 in the second quarter. It is the four straight game they have trailed by 14 or more points.
Nolan to sideline, no difference early
Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan moved from the booth to the sideline on Sunday to help solve some of the problems up close with his unit that ranked last in the league in points allowed and second to last in yards.
He had called plays from the booth in the first four games.
The move didn’t appear to help the defense early as the Giants scored on their first two drives and moved the ball with ease on the ground to take a 17-3 lead.
The Cowboys, who allowed a team-record 307 yards rushing to the Cleveland Browns last Sunday, gave up 42 yards on 10 carries through the first two drives against the Giants.
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones completed six of eight passes for 66 yards.
