Preview: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants, November 4, 2019

Markus Golden – © USA TODAY Sports

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Game Preview: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants, November 4, 2019

THE STORYLINE

The 2019 New York Giants season is already all but officially over by the midway point. Again. With eight games left in another abysmal campaign, you’re going to keep hearing me harp on the following:

The Giants will not become a playoff contender again until:

1. The defense gets MUCH better.
2. The offensive line gets MUCH better.
3. The coaching staff gets MUCH better.
4. Management does a MUCH better job in free agency.

These four areas have been an issue for years, outside a brief defensive blip in 2016. The abysmal drafting performance of the Giants for much of the past decade was #1 on the list, but current management appears to be doing better in that area. However, when it comes to evaluating pro personnel already in the league, Dave Gettleman and Company have been dreadful. In the past two years, they have signed Kareem Martin, Nate Solder, Patrick Omameh, Curtis Riley, Cody Latimer, Connor Barwin, Jonathan Stewart, Nate Stupar, Antoine Bethea, Rod Smith, among many others already forgotten. And let’s not forget trading for Jabrill Peppers and Alec Ogletree. Signing Golden Tate (who was given a $37.5 million contract) and Markus Golden doesn’t offset all of those mistakes. Fingers are crossed that the Giants didn’t just blow two picks on Leonard Williams.

One of the reasons I bring this up is the Giants will have over $60 million in cap space in 2020. That sounds like a lot. And it is. But also keep in mind there will be other teams with even more cap space than the Giants, so competition for a few good players will be very intense and price tags could get ridiculous quickly. Two or three horrific Nate Solder-like contracts could screw the Giants for years. The Giants have to dramatically improve their ability evaluate pro personnel.

THE INJURY REPORT

• WR Sterling Shepard (concussion)
• CB Grant Haley (knee)
• CB Corey Ballentine (concussion)

NEW YORK GIANTS ON OFFENSE

The focus remains the development of Daniel Jones. After a few rough games, he bounced back with his second 300-yard game of his young career and threw for four touchdowns. I keep saying it, but his progress won’t be linear. Expect ups and downs, especially this week as the New York Giants offensive line appears to be regressing and the Dallas Cowboys have one of the most formidable defensive front sevens in football.

Nate Solder has turned into a train wreck. In addition, the Giants once again misjudged their center position. Some of the offensive line breakdowns appear to be due to Jon Halapio not making the correct line calls. Will Hernandez has not taken the step forward that was anticipated and Kevin Zeitler may be playing hurt. Mike Remmers has been better than Chad Wheeler, but not by much. ONCE AGAIN, the Giants are going into an offseason desperate to find MULTIPLE new starters on the offensive line. It seems like the Giants just keep spinning their wheels here. I hope some of the back-ups see some time before the end of the season.

Three players to watch are Saquon Barkley, Sterling Shepard, and Darius Slayton. Barkley seems a bit out of it. Focus on the fundamentals (i.e., pass protection) and don’t try to make every play a highlight run. The big plays will come to him if he settles down. It will also be interesting to see if Shepard plays with more caution after suffering his second concussion this year. Will he be the same aggressive player catching balls over the middle and blocking for his teammates? Other than Jones, Slayton has been one of the few reasons to watch this year. But he needs to be more consistent and productive throughout the entire game in order to reach the next level.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON DEFENSE

The last time these two teams faced, the Cowboys scored 35 points in three quarters before calling off the dogs in the fourth quarter or Dallas may have scored 50 points. Dak Prescott only threw seven incompletions. Wide outs Michael Gallup, Amari Cooper, and Randall Cobb combined for 17 catches, 333 yards, and two touchdowns. And, ONCE AGAIN, Cowboys’ tight ends hurt the Giants, this time with another two touchdowns. The Giants couldn’t get any heat on Prescott. Deandre Baker, Antonio Hamilton, Grant Haley, the linebackers, and safeties were abused. And this was with Ezekiel Elliott coming off of holdout and not yet in game shape.

I keep hearing fans and media types saying that James Bettcher has nothing to work with. Yes, there are talent issues on this defense, but the Giants have also given Bettcher a lot of toys to play with, many of which, he undoubtedly lobbied for. They have spent a #1, #2, and #3 on the defensive line, and now have added former #1 Leonard Williams. The Giants also traded for two other #1 picks in Jabrill Peppers and Alec Ogletree. Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines were both #3 picks. The Giants brought in former Cardinal “security blankets” Kareem Martin (now on IR), Deone Bucannon (another former #1), Olsen Pierre, Markus Golden (former #2), and Antoine Bethea. In the secondary, the Giants have two #1 picks starting (Peppers and Deandre Baker) and a former #2 pick who has been an All-Pro (Janoris Jenkins).

And yet this defense is once again near the bottom of the NFL. Enter Leonard Williams. All eyes will be on him.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS

Aldrick Rosas has now missed an extra point and two of his six field goal attempts. Not good.

FROM THE COACH’S MOUTH

There may be a few more expletives from Coach Shurmur after this game is over.

THE FINAL WORD

The Cowboys have the NFL’s #1 offense and #8 defense. They have won 11 of the last 14 games against the Giants, and five straight against the Giants. The Giants are 3-6 in their last nine Monday night games. The Giants are a missed field goal away from being 1-7 and are officially vying with the Redskins, Dolphins, Falcons, Bengals, and Jets for worst team in the NFL.

Other than that, everything is peachy.