It doesn't get much closer than this...

[AmericasTeam31]

Coming into another must win game this weekend. And, as I always do, I was looking through the team stats for us and the Giants... I didn't realize how evenly matched, at least statistically, our teams are. I think that hearing the media talk up their defense has put it in my head that they are a "dominant" defense, one which cannot be penetrated, or scored on. WRONG! They are a top 10 defense for sure, but so are we! And as good as they are made out to be, we have the edge in sacks 45 to 37. Fumbles recovered we are 3rd in the league... Amazing how the media can change your perspective on things, I always assumed they were much better defensively than we were, it just is not so.

Offensively, I think we are better than our stats show (just because Romo was out 3 weeks)... But here they are...

Offense:

Giants 28.2 ppg. 358.5ypg. 5.6 ypp. 21.3 fdpg. 72 of 163 3rd down 44% 86pen. 722penyds. TOP 33:01
Ranked 6th overall in terms of yards per game.
203.9ypg passing with 21tds and 8ints. 17th in NFL
154.6ypg rushing with 16tds and 7 fumbles. 1st in NFL

Cowboys 24ppg. 351.2ypg. 5.8 ypp. 18.8fdpg. 75 of 170 3rd down 44% 94pen 717penyds. TOP 30:21
Ranked 9th overall in terms of yards per game.
240.2ypg passing with 25tds and 17int. 7th in NFL
111.1ypg rushing with 10tds and 8 fumbles. 19th in NFL

Think that's pretty much even... Look at the Defense...

Defense:

NY Giants 17.4ppg. 283.1ypg. 4.8ypp. 67 of 168 3rd down 40% 96 pen. for 724 yds. 6th in NFL in ypg.
Passing defense: 193.2ypg. 58.2 comp.% 6.4ypp. 14Tds and 16 int qb rating 72.8 8th in NFL
RUshing defense: 89.9ypg. 3.9ypc. 8tds and 3FF 5th in NFL


Cowboys 21.5ppg. 292.3ypg. 4.8 ypp 62 of 174 3rd down 36% 77 pen. for 542 yds. 8th in NFL in ypg.
Passing Defense: 197.5ypg. 61.1 comp.% 6.7ypp. 16tds and 6 int qb rating 87.6 10th in NFL

Rushing defense: 94.8ypg. 3.9ypc. 8tds and 11FF 9th in NFL


I know stats don't determine who wins and who loses. But they do show weaknesses and strengths... and it's obvious to anyone that in order to win, we must stop the run.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Bump for a good post.

I really think the scoring D would be a lot closer if there were a way to discount scores off INTs. You're right that we're very close in a lot of areas, but the INTs we've thrown are a lot higher than theirs.

Frankly, it'll help us a lot if Jacobs doesn't play. Or is far less than 100%.

I think we'll stack the run -- and our run D has been much improved lately -- and trust our corners to make plays. And of course our pass rush.

 

[THUMPER]

Coming into another must win game this weekend. And, as I always do, I was looking through the team stats for us and the Giants... I didn't realize how evenly matched, at least statistically, our teams are. I think that hearing the media talk up their defense has put it in my head that they are a "dominant" defense, one which cannot be penetrated, or scored on. WRONG! They are a top 10 defense for sure, but so are we! And as good as they are made out to be, we have the edge in sacks 45 to 37. Fumbles recovered we are 3rd in the league... Amazing how the media can change your perspective on things, I always assumed they were much better defensively than we were, it just is not so.

Offensively, I think we are better than our stats show (just because Romo was out 3 weeks)... But here they are...

Offense:

Giants 28.2 ppg. 358.5ypg. 5.6 ypp. 21.3 fdpg. 72 of 163 3rd down 44% 86pen. 722penyds. TOP 33:01
Ranked 6th overall in terms of yards per game.
203.9ypg passing with 21tds and 8ints. 17th in NFL
154.6ypg rushing with 16tds and 7 fumbles. 1st in NFL

Cowboys 24ppg. 351.2ypg. 5.8 ypp. 18.8fdpg. 75 of 170 3rd down 44% 94pen 717penyds. TOP 30:21
Ranked 9th overall in terms of yards per game.
240.2ypg passing with 25tds and 17int. 7th in NFL
111.1ypg rushing with 10tds and 8 fumbles. 19th in NFL

Think that's pretty much even... Look at the Defense...

Defense:

NY Giants 17.4ppg. 283.1ypg. 4.8ypp. 67 of 168 3rd down 40% 96 pen. for 724 yds. 6th in NFL in ypg.
Passing defense: 193.2ypg. 58.2 comp.% 6.4ypp. 14Tds and 16 int qb rating 72.8 8th in NFL
RUshing defense: 89.9ypg. 3.9ypc. 8tds and 3FF 5th in NFL


Cowboys 21.5ppg. 292.3ypg. 4.8 ypp 62 of 174 3rd down 36% 77 pen. for 542 yds. 8th in NFL in ypg.
Passing Defense: 197.5ypg. 61.1 comp.% 6.7ypp. 16tds and 6 int qb rating 87.6 10th in NFL

Rushing defense: 94.8ypg. 3.9ypc. 8tds and 11FF 9th in NFL


I know stats don't determine who wins and who loses. But they do show weaknesses and strengths... and it's obvious to anyone that in order to win, we must stop the run.

The big difference is the net 8 points per game. That's a lot!

 

[AdamJT13]

I know stats don't determine who wins and who loses. But they do show weaknesses and strengths... and it's obvious to anyone that in order to win, we must stop the run.

To win, we almost certainly must throw the ball more effectively than the Giants.

Passing almost always determines who wins in the NFL.

 

[AmericasTeam31]

To win, we almost certainly must throw the ball more effectively than the Giants.

Passing almost always determines who wins in the NFL.

Agreed, but getting off the field defensively is the key. Taking away the running game will go a long way to doing that. Without the ball we can't throw it.... see Washington game 1.

 

[AmericasTeam31]

The big difference is the net 8 points per game. That's a lot!

But we're avg. more than 24ppg with Romo in the line up. That includes the 3 games he was out... we scored 14, 13, and 14 in those 3 games....We are at 27.1ppg with Romo at the wheel.... Now it's down to 5... Add in defensive improvement which we all have seen since Wade took over and its a deadlock.

 

[jobberone]

The stats don't tell the story now. The defense looks pretty stout. The offense should be better. The STs are awful.

 

[theebs]

To win, we almost certainly must throw the ball more effectively than the Giants.

Passing almost always determines who wins in the NFL.

well I think that is the recipe this week. Get a lead, get some momentum and make manning beat us.

In the past he has moved the ball and scored points completely throwing to shockey and in other games making the big play to burress early. Since he doesnt have either, if we have a lead we really could do some damage.

and I know I will get some grief for this but this is going to be one of those emotionally charged games for the fans, the kind of games like the philly game where it is what I like to call a "we are with you" crowd and not a you have to show us first crowd.

If romo is sharp early and we score quick, manning may be in for his worst beating of the season because that team even with their great line will let their qb get hit a bunch.

And, i think we got them sunday for sure and I am confident it is going to go something like that.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

well I think that is the recipe this week. Get a lead, get some momentum and make manning beat us.

In the past he has moved the ball and scored points completely throwing to shockey and in other games making the big play to burress early. Since he doesnt have either, if we have a lead we really could do some damage.

and I know I will get some grief for this but this is going to be one of those emotionally charged games for the fans, the kind of games like the philly game where it is what I like to call a "we are with you" crowd and not a you have to show us first crowd.

If romo is sharp early and we score quick, manning may be in for his worst beating of the season because that team even with their great line will let their qb get hit a bunch.

And, i think we got them sunday for sure and I am confident it is going to go something like that.

Didn't you tell me that, in each of their past five games against the Cowboys, the Giants have scored on their very first possession?

This would be an excellent week to buck that particular trend.

 

[theebs]

Didn't you tell me that, in their past five games against the Cowboys, the Giants offense has scored on its very first possession?

This would be an excellent week to buck that particular trend.

yeah they have, and they came out and did it to us again, it is very frustrating. they have run that same corner route on us on the opening drive in nearly every game and it has worked almost every time.

and yes it would. Manning loves to throw the ball at the stadium, throw in it will be 70 and beautiful outside this game has the potential to be a shootout. that is why it is so important for us to score early and get some stops early so the rush can pin their ears back.

Romo outplaying manning in this game can go a long way for this team this sunday. We seemed to get a lift out of being a very good giants team twice last year. We played well in the initial weeks after playing them.

and in an ironic twist, Last year the giants said they learned how to beat us by watching the eagles beat Dallas in tx stadium in december. Wouldnt it just be to wonderful to have our guys learn how to stop the giants again by watching the tape of the giants loss to the eagles at home in december.

 

[Boysboy]

yeah they have, and they came out and did it to us again, it is very frustrating. they have run that same corner route on us on the opening drive in nearly every game and it has worked almost every time.

and yes it would. Manning loves to throw the ball at the stadium, throw in it will be 70 and beautiful outside this game has the potential to be a shootout. that is why it is so important for us to score early and get some stops early so the rush can pin their ears back.

Romo outplaying manning in this game can go a long way for this team this sunday. We seemed to get a lift out of being a very good giants team twice last year. We played well in the initial weeks after playing them.

and in an ironic twist, Last year the giants said they learned how to beat us by watching the eagles beat Dallas in tx stadium in december. Wouldnt it just be to wonderful to have our guys learn how to stop the giants again by watching the tape of the giants loss to the eagles at home in december.

The Giants were also in the same position we were last year. Remember last year how we had a 7 game win streak coming into the Eagles home game, against a team that was on its last throes...only to come out looking flat and getting our tails kicked. This year, the Giants came into the Eagles home game with a 7 game win streak against a desperate team, and got their tails kicked.

BTW-another similarity-Dominick Hixon dropped a TD bomb at the beginning of the game which could have demoralized the Eagles. Same with us last year-Romo barely overthrew a wide open bomb to TO early in the game that would have demoralized them.

Also-the Giants came into our playoff game hobbling with injuries, ditto us next week.

 

[RoboQB]

This is a cool thread.

The turnover ratio is a key difference, as well as time of possesion. Eli takes care of the ball. Romo doesn't. However, Romo makes more BIG plays (20+yd plays). As well as our D has played recently, we still only have 6 INTs.

In a game like this, with two evenly matched teams thaat are familiar, a D/ST score can be the gamebreaker. Hopefully, this week WE get to clinch a "W" with a defensive score.

 

[AdamJT13]

Agreed, but getting off the field defensively is the key. Taking away the running game will go a long way to doing that. Without the ball we can't throw it.... see Washington game 1.

Getting off the field defensively usually means stopping a pass play on third down. As long as your defense isn't getting gashed for 15 yards per run, how well you defend the run (or run the ball on offense) usually doesn't decide the game. How well you defend the pass and throw it on offense usually does.