A tough, close victory by the Dallas Cowboys over the New York Giants kept Dak Prescott and company out of crisis mode.
The Cowboys did the same thing twice last season en route to a third straight 12-win season and a trip to the playoffs. It remains to be seen how this recent and nerve-calming victory translates.
Dallas (2-2) will get extra rest after a 20-15 victory over the Giants before visiting Pittsburgh for another primetime game on Oct. 6. For now, questions abound about the health of defensive standout Micah Parsons.
“I think we really do a good job of focusing on what we do on a daily basis,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “I think sometimes our kids give honest answers to questions that come from outside and other times there are things that are said that do not reflect what is happening internally.”
After consecutive home losses to New Orleans and Baltimore with large deficits in the first half and little resistance from the defense, Prescott was not alone in questioning the team’s professionalism, approach, and training habits.
The star quarterback’s 13th consecutive victory over the Giants wasn’t necessarily eye-catching.
But it was similar to the 20-17 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers last season, a week after another trip to California ended in a crushing loss in San Francisco. And a 20-19 home win against Detroit late in the season came after the Cowboys suffered back-to-back road losses to Buffalo and Miami.
Of course, Dallas got a gift in the final seconds against the Lions when the referees overturned a Detroit two-point conversion that should have counted.
Next on the list of important things after Dallas’ victory is the status of Parsons’ left ankle, which he injured in the fourth quarter when the two-time All-Pro said someone fell on him while he was trying to plant his leg.
Parsons will be reviewed day-to-day with a high ankle strain, while fellow pass-rusher DeMarcus Lawrence could be out longer after spraining his left leg against the Giants, two people with knowledge of the injuries said Friday. . The sources spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the injuries have not yet been released.
Things are starting to get a little complicated for Dallas with the cornerbacks due to injuries.
Andrew Booth, acquired in a trade with Minnesota late in the preseason, was the choice to replace rookie Caelen Carson, but he was overmatched multiple times in the first half and benched after the break. Carson was inactive with a shoulder injury.
DaRon Bland, who set a record for NFL last season with five interceptions returned for touchdowns, is eligible to return from injured reserve following surgery late in the preseason on a stress fracture in his foot. The Cowboys have been hopeful that he would be ready to face the Steelers.
Left tackle Tyler Guyton was penalized for holding three times. The Cowboys committed 11 violations for 89 yards. Referees had to choose between holding penalties when center Cooper Beebe and left guard Tyler Smith were flagged on the same play. The common denominator is youth. Smith is in his third season, while Guyton and Beebe are rookies.
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