FRISCO, Texas – In the last few weeks after the Cowboys have been eliminated from playoff contention, there's been a lot of conversation about finishing the year strong and carrying forward momentum into 2026.
Is that really possible? Maybe, but if the Cowboys want to find out and give it a shot they'll need to finish their 2025 campaign with a win on Sunday over the New York Giants, who gave them the kitchen sink back in Week 2 when Dallas pulled away with a 40-37 win in overtime.
Much has changed in the 14 games for both teams since then, which sets up for an interesting finish between the two NFC East rivals on what should be a chilly Sunday afternoon. Let's look at some keys to the game in the final in-season edition of Here We Goooo:
Limit the explosive plays
In their first meeting this season, Giants QB Russell Wilson turned back the clock and had a field day against the Cowboys' defense, throwing for 450 yards (second highest in his 14 year career) and three touchdowns.
New York's offense had 10 explosive plays on the day, and their 37 points scored in that game is still the most they've had in a game this season. And plenty has changed for the Giants since that game.
For starters, the Cowboys defense will now have to face rookie QB Jaxson Dart, a dual threat who has taken over and continued to grow over the course of the season. With Malik Nabers unfortunately lost for the year with an ACL tear, Wan'Dale Robinson has stepped up for the Giants and had a career year with 1,014 yards.
In Week 2, Robinson went for 142 yards on eight receptions and a touchdown, his second-best statistical performance through the air this season. Robinson's speed is a major factor that the Cowboys' defense will have to hone in on to limit their explosiveness.
Matt Eberflus' defense has historically been a bend, but don't break type of style, but they've broken a lot more times than they should have this season. In the season finale, they'll need to keep everything in front of them and not let New York's playmakers get down the field on them like they did in Week 2.
Be prepared for designed QB runs
Probably the biggest difference in the Giants' offense with Dart under center has been the integration of the quarterback run game. On 81 carries this season, Dart has rushed for 455 yards, an average of 5.6 yards per carry, and nine touchdowns.
The most noticeable thing about his running style is that unlike most quarterbacks who slide before contact or get out of bounds to avoid taking unnecessary hits, Dart invites the contact. At 6'2, 223, he has a good enough build to handle the licks, but it has come to bite him a few times this year as he's missed valuable time with injury.
Still, Dart has made clear he won't be changing his playing style. That means the Cowboys will need to get him to the ground quickly when he's in open space and most importantly, not miss tackles. Dart has forced 10 missed tackles this season for 53 yards after forcing one, and 17 of his carries have turned into 10+ yard gains.
The Cowboys have 93 missed tackles this season, and have allowed 366 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground to opposing quarterbacks this year. Dart will be one of the more younger, dynamic players they've faced, presenting an interesting challenge to finish out the year.
And don't forget, Dart has the ability to move the ball through the air as well. His numbers aren't the best, with 2,042 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions this season, but has been a good passer since his days at Ole Miss, and the Cowboys' defense is the worst in the NFL against the pass.
Protecting the QB is paramount
Dak Prescott will start for the Cowboys in their season finale against the Giants, but will he go the entire way and play the full game? We'll find out for sure on Sunday, but I'm leaning towards thinking that Dallas will give Joe Milton a good amount of reps to close the season out.
One of the biggest reasons I believe that'll be the case is because of the amount of hits Prescott has taken at the tail end of the season. Just last week against Washington, Prescott was sacked six times and hit 11 more.
Obviously, the absolute last thing that the Cowboys can afford is to let Prescott get hit more or worse, suffer an injury in Week 18 against New York. Similarly, the same can be said for Joe Milton, who is expected to come in to the game and relieve Prescott at some point on Sunday.
Dallas' offensive line has had a lot of moving parts, most recently with Tyler Smith moving to left tackle as Tyler Guyton is dealing with an ankle injury. This Giants pass rush is unforgiving, with so much high-end talent invested on the defensive line in Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Dexter Lawrence being the most prominent.
New York had four sacks against the Raiders last week, and Burns is second in the NFL in sacks with 16.5 trailing only Myles Garrett, who is one sack away from the NFL's all-time single season sack record. Rookie first-round pick Abdul Carter is coming off one of the best performances of his young career. Regardless of who is in the game at quarterback, Dallas' offensive line needs to close the year out strong and keep their signal callers clean not just for Sunday, but for the future as well.
