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Giants vs. Cowboys: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2016 Regular Season
- Updated: September 12, 2016
The New York Giants scored touchdowns while the Dallas Cowboys consistently settled for field goals on Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which resulted in a 20-19 victory for Eli Manning’s team.
Even though the Cowboys kicked four field goals and only found the end zone one time, they still could have won the game with a fifth on the final drive. However, Terrance Williams didn’t run out of bounds to stop the clock on the final play, so time expired before Dallas could get another snap off inside New York territory.
Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman and ESPN’s Trey Wingo were flabbergasted by the gaffe:
Terrance Williams…I mean…the clock…out of bounds…I’m…just…I don’t know what to say.
— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) September 11, 2016
What a horrible mistake by WIlliams. For the first time ever, The Giants beat Dallas in a season opening game. Had been 0-7.
— trey wingo (@wingoz) September 11, 2016
Despite the heartbreaking loss, there was a silver lining for Dallas. Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott filled in admirably for the injured Tony Romo, throwing for 227 yards and zero turnovers. Rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott tallied 51 rushing yards and scored the Cowboys’ lone touchdown, but he only averaged a mere 2.5 yards per carry against a stout Giants defense.
On the other side, Manning threw for 207 yards and three scores, the last of which went to Victor Cruz in the fourth quarter to give the G-Men a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.
The Cowboys started the game with the ball, which meant the home fans received an early look at the rookie offensive playmakers, Prescott and Elliott. They led Dallas inside the Giants’ 10-yard line but ultimately had to settle for a field goal after Cole Beasley couldn’t haul in a catchable pass that may have gone for a touchdown. It was Prescott’s only incompletion in seven attempts on the first drive.
Prescott again drove Dallas into scoring position on its second possession, and Dan Bailey blasted a 56-yard field goal to give his team a 6-0 advantage early in the second quarter.
Paul Schwartz of the New York Post noted the Giants defense was not sticking to the script against Prescott, as the Mississippi State product continued to find open receivers:
Giants allowing Dak Prescott to get into a comfort zone. Exactly what you do not want to let a rookie do.
— Paul Schwartz (@NYPost_Schwartz) September 11, 2016
However, settling for field goals proved costly for Dallas, as the New York offense responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive to take a 7-6 lead. Manning found Larry Donnell for a 15-yard score after hitting Odell Beckham for a 45-yard strike to get inside the red zone. Pro Football Reference pointed out it was business as usual for Beckham to break free against opposing secondaries:
That’s Odell Beckham’s 15th 40+ yard catch. Since the start of 2014, only DeSean Jackson’s had more #GiantsPride pic.twitter.com/tRioQ3l2pR
— ProFootballReference (@pfref) September 11, 2016
It appeared as though Prescott responded with the first regular-season touchdown pass of his career to Dez Bryant in the …
