Cowboys - Giants Mid-week Questions

Who: Dallas Cowboys (7-1) @ New York Giants (6-2)

When: 3:15 PM (CST)

Where: Giants Stadium

1. What Happened in Game 1: The Cowboys opened the season with a 45-35 game that was both not as close and closer than it appears. The Cowboys took a 38-22 lead with about 10 minutes left in the 4th, and the game appeared over, but the Giants closed the gap to 38-35 by scoring two touchdowns in 6 minutes. Tony Romo promptly shut the door with a 51-yard pass to Sam Hurd, and the game was over. The Cowboys were in control throughout the game, never trailing after the second quarter.

2. What's at stake: Only the driver's seat in the NFC East. If the Cowboys win, they will have a two game lead over their closest competition in the East, as well as the tiebreak with the Giants. A win over the hottest team in the NFC (the Giants have won 6 straight after starting 0-2) would cement the Cowboys as the NFC favorites, as well as keep them in the driver's seat for a first round bye in the playoffs.

3. What to expect: The Giants are coming off a bye week, and have no doubt been using that time to heal and scheme for this key game. Fortuneatly, the Giants are coming off the ill-concieved London game, and so its probably more like a bye-half week. Though the Giants are riding a significant wave of momentum, the Cowboys were without key defensive starters in Terrance Newman and Greg Ellis. After the Cowboys had difficulty breaking the 30 point barrier the last 3 games, they jumped back in the saddle with a 38-17 win over the Eagles last Sunday. Expect more of this same this Sunday, in a 31-21 win.