3 Things We Now Know About the Cowboys Following Their Giants Victory

The Dallas Cowboys might be down, but they’re playing like they’re not out of it. Thanksgiving was good to them as they defeated the New York Giants for their second consecutive win, pushing their record to 5-7. Believe it or not, with all the injuries and lackluster play through the season, the Cowboys are only two games back from a wildcard spot in the playoffs, something most people didn’t think was possible a few weeks ago.

Dallas will get 10 days off before taking on the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Carolina Panthers will follow. So, the Cowboys have two more games coming up that are very winnable and could make things interesting in the NFC playoff picture. However, for the time being, let’s continue to bask in the glory of the Cowboys victory and dive into three things we learned about them in the process.

Micah Parsons has returned with a vengeance

Once Micah Parsons went down with a high ankle sprain, the Cowboys defense, which was already struggling, was going to take a step back until he returned to action. All good things come to those wait, and Parsons has been lights out in the four games that he’s been back. The three-time All-Pro has recorded 5.5 sacks and 21 pressures over that span. Specifically against the Giants, Parsons had 1.5 sacks and six pressures on 36 pass rush snaps. The threat that Parsons is rushing the passer can truly change the complexion of a game and assist a Cowboys offense that needs all the breaks it can get with Cooper Rush playing quarterback. With other guys getting back healthy as well, the Cowboys defense could be a problem for opposing offenses to close out the season with Parsons leading the charge and playing like this.

Mazi Smith continues to stack good games together

Don’t look now, but Mazi Smith is figuring things out. Consistency has been a bugaboo for Smith during his short career, but the last three weeks have seen his play improve gradually. He’s had PFF grades of 55.9, 69.6, and 79.9 during that time. Smith put up a run defense grade of 77.6 against the Giants, which is huge because one knock on Smith has been his inability to disengage blocks at times, and it allows running playing plays to be successful. Although rushing the passer isn’t his bread and butter, Smith is starting to push guys back into the pocket and move quarterbacks off their spot, which is exactly what you want coming up the middle. Smith playing well changes the entire defense in Dallas for the better.

Rico Dowdle is a legit starting running back

Not only did the Cowboys get the win against the Giants on Thanksgiving, but Rico Dowdle became the first Cowboys running back to go over the century mark in 26 games with his 112-yard performance on 22 carries. It was also the first 100-yard game of his career. Dowdle now sits at 600 yards on the season while averaging 4.5 yards per rush. He’s run for more than four yards per carry in all but two games this season and has three games where he’s averaged more than five yards per attempt. Simply put, when Dowdle gets his opportunities, he makes the most of them. He may not be a star like Derrick Henry or Saquon Barkley, but Dowdle gives the Cowboys a legitimate rushing attack that can be effective if all the parts work together, especially seeing as the team isn’t creative in their scheme.