The Cowboys defeated the Giants to get their first home win in almost a year

ARLINGTON, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys remembered what it felt like to win again at AT&T Stadium with their 27-20 victory on Thanksgiving Day over the New York Giants.

Some of them could be forgiven for forgetting, as it had been 334 days since their last home win against the Detroit Lions on December 30, 2023.

“It was definitely overdue,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “It was important to get the win on many fronts, but it was really important to get a home win.”

Before losing to the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round in January, the Cowboys had won 16 straight home games, the second-longest streak in franchise history. Before Thursday, the Cowboys had lost six straight games at AT&T Stadium and had set an NFL record by trailing by at least 20 points in all six games.

With Thursday’s win, the Cowboys avoided their third 0-6 home start of the season and comfortably beat the 1960 team, which went 0-11-1 in the franchise’s first year, and the 1989 Cowboys, the 1:15 in Jerry ended Jones’ first year as owner and manager.

“I hate so much that our fans are going through this losing streak when we were so proud of our home winning streak,” Jones said. “That’s why it’s good to get this win here at home.”

The Cowboys have won two NFC East games in five days after beating the Washington Commanders 34-26 at Northwest Stadium on Sunday. It’s the Cowboys’ second two-game winning streak this season. They defeated the Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers in Weeks 4 and 5, improving to 3-2 before losing their next five games.

At 5-7, the Cowboys are currently out of the playoffs, but their next two games are on Dec. 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals, 4-7, on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” and the Carolina Panthers, 3-8 on December 9th. 15.

“We feel very different today than we did on Saturday evening in Washington. That is fair and correct. It’s a good feeling,” McCarthy said. “We deserve it here. We had to fight to get here. We are still in the valley of adversity. We have taken two steps forward, but we still have a long way to go. We recognize that.”

To beat the Giants for the eighth straight time, the Cowboys ran the ball. Rico Dowdle became the first 100-yard rusher for the Cowboys since Tony Pollard last season in Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals. The 26-game drought without a 100-yard rusher was the longest in team history.

Defensively, the Cowboys shut down a limited New York offense that started its third quarterback of the season in Drew Lock. The Cowboys tied a season-high six sacks, and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown changed the game with an acrobatic pick-six of a lock pass in the second quarter that gave the Cowboys a lead they refused to relinquish.

“I knew there was a play coming, and I was told all week there was a play,” Overshown said. “I didn’t know when it would come, but it would come. I only played football. I saw the ball, tipped it and prayed the whole time that it would stay up. I thought, ‘Man.’ ‘Please let my speed be fast enough to get to this ball.’”

The defense has slowly improved this season. Micah Parsons had 1.5 sacks on Thursday and has 6.5 sacks this season despite missing four games with a high ankle sprain. With Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins next week, he knows the Bengals will be a different challenge.

“Now I’m focused on the Bengals and understanding how they’re going to attack us, who they have. They have some guys,” Parsons said. “Hopefully we get D-Law (DeMarcus Lawrence) and hopefully maybe Trevon (Diggs) so we can be at capacity, and I know they will be at capacity. I’m looking forward to that.”

Lawrence hasn’t played since Sept. 26 because of a metatarsal sprain. Diggs has missed the last two games with groin and knee problems. On Thursday, the Cowboys lost safety Juanyeh Thomas and cornerback Josh Butler to knee injuries.

Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb did not return after suffering a right shoulder injury in the third quarter. He dropped three passes in the game after dropping just four in the first 11 games of the season.

Lamb suffered a sprained ACL in the Nov. 3 loss to the Atlanta Falcons but has not missed a game, although he said Tuesday it was the most physically serious injury he has experienced in his career.

With eleven days until the Cincinnati game, the Cowboys are hoping Lamb will be fine.

“The rest might be the most important part of the schedule,” McCarthy said. “If you just look at what we’re struggling with, rest and recovery will really help us. The schedule is set so that our players have a rest week. On Monday they have some responsibility. We’ll do that later.” Start on Wednesday. I want them to get away, recharge their batteries and be ready to go.

“We clearly have to play our best football in front of us.”