New York Giants Defeat Dallas Cowboys: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The New York Giants saved their season and took control of the NFC East wth Sunday’s 37-34 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

It Was Over When …

Jason Pierre-Paul blocked Dan Bailey’s 47-yard field goal with six seconds left. Bailey made his first kick, but it was negated when Giants coach Tom Coughlin called a timeout. Pierre-Paul blocked the second effort.

Turning Point Of The Game

There were several of these. The final one, though, was a failure by Dallas quarterback Tony Romo to connect with Miles Austin on a pass that would have sealed a Dallas victory. With Dallas leading 34-29 and facing a third-and-five at their own 25-yard line with 2:25 remaining Austin broke clear of Giants cornerback Aaron Ross for what should have been a game-clinching 75-yard touchdown pass. Instead, Romo overshot Austin and Dallas had to punt. The Giants then drove 58 yards for the game-winning score.

The Good

The tremendous work by Pierre-Paul, who finished with eight tackles, two sacked, a forced fumble and a blocked field goal … the 400-yard passing day by Eli Manning, who now has a record-setting 15 fourth-quarter touchdown passes this season and has led five fourth-quarter come-from-behind victories … The 101 yards rushing for Brandon Jacobs … The seven catches for 154 yards for Hakeem Nicks.

The Bad

Ahmad Bradshaw violating team rules and being benched for the first half by Coughlin.

The Ugly

The atrocious pass defense for both teams. The Cowboys blew a bunch of coverages while Manning was passing for 400 yards. The Giants did the same while Romo was passing for 321 yards and four touchdowns of his own … The fractured ankle suffered by DeMarco Murray, the tremendous rookie running back for the Cowboys.

Quotable

“We have a great quarterback,” running back Brandon Jacobs said. "If you ask me he’s the best in the business when our backs are against the wall and we need a score. He’s never let me down.

“I believe in him. I believe in our offense, I believe in our coaches and they got it done.”

— See the ‘Kudos & Wet Willies’ game review, plus much more coverage at Big Blue View.

Ahmad Bradshaw Benching: Running Back Forced To Sit Out First Half

New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw, the team’s leading rusher was benched for the first half of Sunday night’s 37-34 victory over the Dallas Cowboys for a violation of team rules.

“Strictly in house,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. “Violation of team rules. That’s all I’ll say.”

Bradshaw reportedly admitted a rules violation. He mostly watched Sunday night as Brandon Jacobs had his best game of the season, rushing 19 times for 101 yards. Bradshaw did play some in the second half, gaining 12 yards on eight carries and catching one pass for seven yards.

The Daily News reported that this is the fourth time in his eight-year tenure that Coughlin has benched a Giants’ player for a rules violation. Aaron was benched once and Plaxico Burress twice.

Coughlin deserves credit for sticking to his beliefs here. Chaining his most explosive running back to the bench in a game that could have been make-or-break for the Giants’ season and his tenure as head coach, is a move that showed what Coughlin is about. That, of course, is doing things the right way.

Giants 37, Cowboys 34: Giants Take Control Of NFC East

Down 34-22 with 5:52 to play, the New York Giants apparently had the Dallas Cowboys right where they wanted them Sunday night. Two tremendous touchdown drives and a game-deciding blocked field goal later the Giants had a 37-34 victory and first place in the NFC East. Both teams are 7-6, but by virtue of the victory the Giants -- for now at least -- have control of the tie-breaker.

The Giants have now had to pull off fourth-quarter rallies for six of their seven victories this season. Quarterback Eli Manning was 27-of-47 for 400 yards two touchdowns and one interception, and was brilliant in the closing minutes. First, Manning took the Giants 80 yards in eight plays, hitting Jake Ballard for an eight-yard touchdown to make the score 34-29 in favor of Dallas.

After a three-and-out by Dallas the Giants regained possession at their own 42-yard line with 2:12 to play. Manning drove the Giants to the game-winning score eight plays later when Brandon Jacobs ran the ball in from a yard out. Manning overcame an end zone drop by Mario Manningham on a perfectly thrown ball to complete the drive. For the second consecutive week the Giants were successful with a two-point conversion as D.J. Ware ran the ball in to make the score 37-34.

The Cowboys, without timeouts and with only 46 seconds to work with, moved to the Giants' 30-yard line with six seconds to play. Placekicker Dan Bailey made an apparent game-tying 47-yard field goal, but a timeout by Giants coach Tom Coughlin forced him to kick again. Bailey's kick was blocked by Jason Pierre-Paul.

The Giants trailed 7-5 after one quarter and 17-15 at the half. They held a 22-20 lead heading into the final quarter.

Manning has now surpassed 4,000 yards passing for the third straight season.

Pierre-Paul had eight tackles, two sacks -- including one that caused a safety -- a forced fumble and the blocked field goal. He was responsible for stopping for Dallas possessions, and his forced fumble led to a Giants field goal.

Brandon Jacobs carried 19 times for 101 yards rushing for New York, his first 100-yard game of the season. Jacobs carried most of the rushing load as Ahmad Bradshaw was suspended for the game's first half after an apparent rules violation.

Dallas quarterback Tony Romo went 21-of-31 for 321 yards and four touchdowns.

Giants Vs. Cowboys Final Score: Blocked Field Goal Preserves Comeback Victory, 37-34

The New York Giants never do make it easy. After a two-possession deficit in the fourth quarter and a later meltdown on defense, Jason Pierre-Paul blocked a game-tying field goal to preserve a 37-34 road victory over the Dallas Cowboys that gave the Giants pole position in the race for the NFC East title.

Down 34-22 in the fourth quarter, Eli Manning led two touchdown drives that allowed the Giants to take the lead with under a minute left. Manning threw for 400 yards and two touchdowns on the night, and found Hakeem Nicks seven times for 154 yards, while Brandon Jacobs ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns.

But the Giants needed that comeback after allowing two touchdowns to the Cowboys -- Tony Romo had four touchdown passes, and two in the final quarter -- and almost had to go to overtime, as Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey hit his first attempt at the game-tying field goal, only to have it nullified by a timeout.

Romo threw for 319 yards to go with his four scores.

The loss moved both teams to 7-6 on the year, but the Giants will host the Cowboys in the return match-up later this month, though they get a slightly tougher schedule than the Cowboys over the next two weeks. Dallas has the Buccaneers and Eagles before the season finale at MetLife Stadium, while New York meets the Redskins and Jets in the next two weeks.

For more on the Giants, visit Big Blue View. For more on the Cowboys, visit Blogging the Boys.

Giants Vs. Cowboys Score Update: New York Takes Lead In Third Quarter

The New York Giants have taken back the lead in their NFC East showdown with the Dallas Cowboys. They needed a bit of defensive indifference in the third quarter to do so, though.

A blown coverage left Mario Manningham wide open on a deep route, and Eli Manning found him for a 47-yard touchdown that gave the Giants a 22-20 lead late in the third period at Cowboys Stadium.

That was Manningham's only catch of the night; Manning has relied on Hakeem Nicks, who has six grabs for 130 yards, far more, and the Giants have gotten 68 yards on the ground from Brandon Jacobs.

New York's defense has a fighting chance of making that slim lead stand, too, especially if Jason Pierre-Paul continues to wreak havoc. He has two sacks and a forced fumble, and has dominated the Cowboys' line for stretches.

For more on the Giants, visit Big Blue View. For more on the Cowboys, visit Blogging the Boys.

Giants Vs. Cowboys Halftime Score: Dallas Leads, 17-15, After Trading Touchdowns In Second Quarter

Eli Manning and the New York Giants are currently locked in a seesaw battle with the Dallas Cowboys in the Lone Star State. Unfortunately for Giants fans, New York is on the high side of the play so far, trailing 17-15 at halftime.

After a slow start to the game that included a safety and a misfire in the red zone, the Giants got in gear in the second quarter, with 10 points on a field goal and a Brandon Jacobs touchdown run. Manning has thrown for 146 yards, but completed just nine of 19 throws in the first half.

And the field goal came off a turnover. Jason Pierre-Paul stripped Felix Jones on a run and fumbled the ball directly into Deon Grant's hands, but the Giants couldn't turn great field position into more than three points.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys have done some scoring of their own, with Tony Romo finding Laurent Robinson on a second quarter touchdown pass and leading Dallas down the field for another field goal to put the Cowboys ahead at the half.

The early safety has meant that the lead is constantly changing hands; there have been five lead changes so far in this one.

For more on the Giants, visit Big Blue View. For more on the Cowboys, visit Blogging the Boys.

ANIMATED: Brandon Jacobs Scores Touchdown, Dances On Dallas' Star

The Dallas Cowboys' star remains sacrosanct for fans of "America's Team." That's not so true for Brandon Jacobs.

After running in a one-yard touchdown, Jacobs ran to the star on the Cowboys helmet in the Dallas end zone and proceeded to ... gyrate, I guess, on it. Surely, that's the sort of thing the Cowboys — and their fans — won't soon forget.

For more on the Giants, visit Big Blue View. For more on the Cowboys, visit Blogging the Boys.

Giants Vs. Cowboys Score Update: Tony Romo Gets Both Teams On Board In First Quarter, Dallas Leads 7-5

The New York Giants needed a fast start on the road against the Dallas Cowboys in their NFC East rivalry match-up. Tony Romo helped provide that.

Romo tried to avoid a sack near the goal line, but could not manage to regain his balance and ended up going down in the end zone for a safety that opened scoring the first quarter in the Giants' favor. On the subsequent Giants possession, Eli Manning found Hakeem Nicks to get New York deep into the Dallas red zone, but two misfires on fades to the corner of the end zone forced the Giants to kick a field goal and make the score 5-0 in the Giants' favor.

The Cowboys came back and scored a touchdown on the next possession, with Romo piloting them and finding John Phillips on a throwback screen for a touchdown pass to make the score 7-5 for Dallas. That score held to the end of the first quarter.

It could have been 7-0 Dallas earlier in the quarter if Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman had snagged the interception on an out route he jumped perfectly, but Newman couldn't hang on to the ball with a full field of nothing but green space in front of him.

The Giants played the first quarter without Ahmad Bradshaw, who didn't start. According to Al Michaels on the NBC broadcast, that was because of a violation of team rules, understood to be a curfew violation. Brandon Jacobs has filled in admirably, running for 43 yards in the early goings.

For more on the Giants, visit Big Blue View. For more on the Cowboys, visit Blogging the Boys.

Giants Vs. Cowboys Injury Report: Kenny Phillips, Jerrel Jernigan Among Giants Inactives

The New York Giants have just released their injury report for tonight's NFC East division battle against the division-leading Dallas Cowboys.

C David Baas, LB Mark Herzlich, WR Jerrel Jernigan, LB Spencer Paysinger, S Kenny Phillips, T Tony Ugoh and DE Osi Umenyiora are all listed as inactive for tonight's game.

Baas, Herzlich, Paysinger, Phillips and Umenyiora were certainly not surprises as their statuses were known earlier this week. Phillips, the Giants starting safety, was ruled out on Friday which is a major blow to the defense. However, wide receiver Mario Manningham was listed as probable on Friday and will be playing based on this inactives list.

The Cowboys also released their list of inactive players:

G David Arkin, TE Martellus Bennett, DT Josh Brent, DE Clifton Geathers, WR Andre Holmes, QB Jon Kitna and G Daniel Loper are all listed as inactive for the contest.

For more Giants Vs. Cowboys coverage stay tuned to our storystream. For more Giants coverage visit our team page and our blog, Big Blue View.

Giants Vs. Cowboys: Time, TV Schedule, Radio Streaming And More

The New York Giants (6-6) travel to the Dallas Cowboys (7-5) Sunday. For those who would like to catch the game, here's TV schedule and radio information.

New York Giants Friday Injury Report: Kenny Phillips Out, Mario Manningham In

There is good news and bad news for the New York Giants in their official Friday injury report. The bad news is that starting safety Kenny Phillips, who left last Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers with a knee injury, will not play this Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys. The good news is that wide receiver Mario Manningham, out the last two games with a knee issue of his own, has practiced this week appears likely to play. He is listed as probable.

Giants' starting center David Baas will miss his second consecutive game with headaches and neck issues. Linebacker Mark Herzlich (ankle), linebacker Spencer Paysinger (hamstring) and defensive end Osi Umenyiora (knee/ankle) will also sit out for the Giants.

Without Phillips, veteran Deon Grant will have to play more deep safety for the Giants, and rookie Tyler Sash may see some time with the defense.

For Dallas, nose tackle Josh Brent (knee) and backup quarterback Jon Kitna (back) are out. Running back Phillip Tanner (hamstring) has been placed on injured reserve.

Week 14 NFL Lines And Odds: Giants Vs. Cowboys

The Giants are underdogs as they travel to Dallas to face the division-leading Cowboys this weekend.

Giants Injury Report: Michael Boley, Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs Held Out Of Thursday Practice

The New York Giants released their latest injury report Thursday as they prepare for their upcoming game with the Dallas Cowboys. Running backs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs remained on the did not practice list on Thursday. Defensive end Dave Tollefson returned to practice in a limited role today.

Here is the complete list of players who were held out of practice today:

C David Baas (Neck/Intense Headaches)...Did Not Practice

LB Michael Boley (Hamstring)...Did Not Practice

RB Ahmad Bradshaw (Foot)...Did Not Practice

LB Mark Herzlich (Ankle)...Did Not Practice

RB Brandon Jacobs (Hamstring)...Did Not Practice

LB Spencer Paysinger (Hamstring)...Did Not Practice

S Kenny Phillips (Knee)...Did Not Practice

DE Osi Umenyiora (Ankle/Knee)...Did Not Practice

The following players were limited in practice today:

CB Prince Amukamara (Back)...Limited

WR Mario Manningham (Knee)...Limited

DE Dave Tollefson (Knee)...Limited

The Cowboys also released their latest injury report today. The following players did not practice: TE Martellus Bennett (Ribs), NT Josh Brent (Knee), S Abram Elam (Personal), QB Jon Kitna (Back), S Danny McCray (Ankle), WR Laurent Robinson (Shoulder), RB Phillip Tanner (Hamstring). The following players were limited in practice: WR Miles Austin (Hamstring), FB Tony Fiammetta (Illness), G Kyle Kosier (Foot), LB DeMarcus Ware (Neck). The following players were not limited in practice on Thursday: LB Sean Lee (Wrist), P Mat McBriar (Left Foot).

For more Giants-Cowboys Week 14 coverage, stay tuned to our storystream. New York Giants coverage, visit our team page, or our blog Big Blue View.

New York Giants At Dallas Cowboys: Scouting The Cowboys

Giants Injury Report: Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs Held Out Of Practice, Mario Manningham Was Limited

The New York Giants released their injury report as they prepare for their game against the Dallas Cowboys. The list of players who did not practice on Wednesday was lengthy:

C David Baas Neck/Intense Headaches...Did Not Practice

LB Michael Boley Hamstring...Did Not Practice

RB Ahmad Bradshaw Foot...Did Not Practice

LB Mark Herzlich Ankle...Did Not Practice

RB Brandon Jacobs Hamstring...Did Not Practice

LB Spencer Paysinger Hamstring...Did Not Practice

S Kenny Phillips Knee...Did Not Practice

DE Dave Tollefson Knee...Did Not Practice

DE Osi Umenyiora Ankle/Knee...Did Not Practice

Only two players were limited in practice:

CB Prince Amukamara Back...Limited

WR Mario Manningham Knee...Limited

Giants coach Tom Coughlin said about Amukamara's back injury:

That's been an issue with him from time to time, actually as soon as he came back on the field. That's when it started to be an issue. We'll just list it as it is. He does have some issues there, but he manages, as I said, to play with it and we need him to contribute X amount of snaps every game.

The Cowboys also released their latest injury report. The following players did not practice.

TE Martellus Bennett  (Ribs), NT Josh Brent (Knee), QB Jon Kitna (Back), G Kyle Kosier (Foot), S Danny McCray (Ankle), WR  Laurent Robinson (Shoulder), RB Phillip Tanner (Hamstring), LB DeMarcus Ware (Neck). WR Miles Austin (Hamstring) and FB Tony Fiametta (Illness) were limited in practice today.

For more Giants-Cowboys Week 14 coverage, stay tuned to our storystream. New York Giants coverage, visit our team page, or our blog Big Blue View.

David Baas Injury Update: New York Giants' OL Still Undergoing Tests

New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin said the injury suffered by offensive lineman David Baas is "much more serious than a headache" and has required Baas to undergo further testing.

"That was what he brought to the medical people on Sunday but there is a lot more to it. As a matter of fact, he is having tests today and he has spent the last few days doing tests. A lot of that is to try to eliminate things as well. I really don't have any information other than that and until I am sure that we are going to be talking about the right thing, I will wait and not speculate," said Coughlin.

Baas missed Sunday's loss to the Green Bay Packers with what the team described as neck injury and intense headaches, and his status is uncertain for this weekend's meeting with the Dallas Cowboys. Coughlin said the neck injury and headaches are likely related.

The team feature a makeshift offensive line against Green Bay, but the unit performed admirably as the Giants rushed for more than 100 yards for the first time since Nov. 6 and the offense tallied 35 points.

For more New York Giants coverage, visit our team page, or our blog Big Blue View.

New York Giants Roster Moves: Stacy Andrews To IR, Tony Ugoh Signed

The New York Giants today placed offensive lineman Stacy Andrews on injured reserve and signed veteran offensive tackle Tony Ugoh to take his roster spot.

Ugoh, 6-foot-5 and 304 pounds, played in 37 NFL games with 27 starts with the Indianapolis Colts from 2007-09. He was also with the Detroit Lions in 2010, though he did not see any game action. Ugoh played for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League this fall.

Ugoh, a product of the University of Arkansas, was the Colts’ second-round draft choice in 2007, the 42nd overall selection. As a rookie he started all 11 games in which he played at left tackle. The following season, he played in 15 games with 12 starts. In 2009, he played in 11 games, with four starts at left tackle. Ugoh has also played in five postseason games with two starts.

The Colts released Ugoh on Sept. 21, 2010. He signed with the Lions on Dec. 11 and re-signed with them after the lockout on July 30 of this year. Ugoh was cut by Detroit on Aug. 15.

Andrews was hospitalized Saturday with blood clots in both lungs. He had played in nine of the Giants’ first 11 games, with three starts. The Giants have said that Andrews will be able to return to football, but not for the remainder of this season.

Miles Austin Injury Update: Cowboys Expect To Have WR Back Against Giants, According To Report

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin is expected to be back on the field on Sunday when the Cowboys play the New York Giants (via Dallas Morning News). Cowboys owner Jerry Jones even expects Austin to be back in practice on Wednesday.

Austin has missed the last four games for the Cowboys due to a right hamstring injury that he sustained during a 23-13 win over the Seahawks on Nov. 6. In six games this season, Miles has made 28 receptions for 403 yards and four touchdowns. The Cowboys offense has really struggled to score points without Austin the last three weeks. Their highest point total during that stretch was 27 in an overtime win against the Redskins. Dallas only managed 13 points last week in a loss to the Cardinals.

For more coverage of the Giants Vs. Cowboys, stay tuned to our storystream. For more Giants coverage, visit our team page, or our blog Big Blue View. 

Antrel Rolle Stands By New York Giants Playoff Guarantee

Despite a last-minute loss to the Green Bay Packers which dropped the New York Giants to 6-6, Giants safety Antrel Rolle told WFAN’s Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts he stands by his guarantee that the Giants will make the NFL playoffs.

"If we go out there and play with the intensity and emotion and the passion we had this last Sunday… Man, those teams are in trouble," Rolle declared.

"Will we make the playoffs? Without a doubt," he said. "Without a doubt. We will be in that postseason. And we all know once you get in the postseason, that record is 0-0-0."

New York's best opportunity to make the playoffs is likely to surpass Dallas for the NFC East title. The Giants trail the Cowboys by one game in the division standings, but still have two games remaining with the Cowboys, including one Sunday night at Cowboys Stadium. New York also has games remaining against the Washington Redskins and New York Jets.

For more Giants coverage, visit our team page, or our blog Big Blue View. 

New York Giants At Dallas Cowboys: NFC East Leaders Collide

Kenny Phillips Injury Update: Giants Safety To Miss 1-2 Weeks With Sprained MCL

Safety Kenny Phillips will miss the New York Giants upcoming game with the Dallas Cowboys with a sprained MCL. The starter is expected to miss 1-2 weeks.