New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys Preview, Prediction

The 4-2 New York Giants travel to Dallas to face the 1-4 Cowboys this Monday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN.

Injuries: Both DE Justin Tuck (ankle) and Hakeem Nicks (hamstring) missed practice on Friday. Both players have declared that they will play this Monday night. We now know that DE Mathias Kiwanuka (cervical disk injury) is definitely going to be sidelined for the foreseeable future.

The Giants will win...

because of the Cowboys' offensive line. The Dallas o-line has committed silly penalties time after time in 2010, and is a big reason for the Cowboys being in the bottom half of the league in rushing thus far. The Giants pass rush has been the NFL's best in the past few weeks, and there's little reason to think that won't continue on Monday night. Unless Dallas can move the ball on the ground, it could be a very long night for one Tony Romo.

Dallas has been its own worst enemy this season. In each of the team's four losses, a costly turnover or bad mental mistake cost the Cowboys points at a critical moment. The Giants has shown in the team's past three games that they're capable of forcing these types of errors.

The Dallas run defense can be exploited, especially be a speedy running back such as Ahmad Bradshaw. A few draw plays and screen passes at the beginning of the game could open things up for Bradshaw and, at a later point in the game, a rested and fueled-by-his-hatred-for-the-Cowboys Brandon Jacobs.

The Giants will lose...

because the Cowboys match up very well against Big Blue. Most Giants fans are aware that New York does not too well against opposing offenses that feature a talented tight end (see Jason Witten) and talented, big play wide receivers (see Miles Austin and, believe it or not, Roy E. Williams). In case you've missed it, Williams has five touchdown receptions in the team's previous three games.

It's not a fluke that Dallas is 1-4, as they've gone out and earned each and every one of those four losses. Even still, if the Cowboys are going to make any sort of push whatsoever toward the postseason, it has to begin Monday night. They're going into this contest as if it were a playoff game because, well, it kind of is.

The Giants struggled to put the Lions away last week, and came close to giving up the lead in the fourth. If that happens on Monday night in Dallas, I firmly believe the Cowboys will take advantage of the opportunity.

Prediction

Every intelligent part of my mind tells me to pick the Cowboys here. They're not a good match-up for the G-men, and it's a must win game for Big D. Picking the Cowboys to beat the Giants just hurts my soul too much, though. Besides, Monday night wouldn't be the first time the football Giants have spoiled things for the Cowboys in Dallas in prime time. Just sayin'.

Giants 27

Dallas 21

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