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-NFL Divisional Playoffs: New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys
By Chris Pokorny, PFCritics Writer
January 13, 2008
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Game:  New York Giants (11-6) vs. Dallas Cowboys (13-3)
Where: RCA Dome (Dallas, TX)
When: 4:30 PM EST
Announcers: Troy Aikman & Joe Buck (FOX)

"See y'all Sunday."


That's what Terrell Owens said at the end of practice Friday, as he prepares to make another quick recovery from an injury. The Cowboys will meet the Giants for the third time this season. In their previous two match-ups, the Cowboys won through their offense. Instead of the typical comparison preview I've done for each playoff games, I'm going to highlight the main contributors from each of the two games played, along with my official prediction.
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Game:  New York Giants (11-6) vs. Dallas Cowboys (13-3)
Where: RCA Dome (Dallas, TX)
When: 4:30 PM EST
Announcers: Troy Aikman & Joe Buck (FOX)

"See y'all Sunday."
That's what Terrell Owens said at the end of practice Friday, as he prepares to make another quick recovery from an injury. The Cowboys will meet the Giants for the third time this season. In their previous two match-ups, the Cowboys won through their offense. Instead of the typical comparison preview I've done for each playoff games, I'm going to highlight the main contributors from each of the two games played, along with my official prediction.

Let's start out with the season stats for the showdown between the Giants and Cowboys...

OFFENSE

Category Giants Cowboys
Points Scored 23.3 (14th) 28.4 (2nd)
Passing 197.1 (21st) 256.6 (4th)
Rushing 134.3 (4th) 109.1 (17th)
Total Offense (yards) 331.4 (16th) 365.7 (3rd)

DEFENSE

Category Giants Cowboys
Points Scored 21.9 (17th) 20.3 (13th)
Passing 207.3 (11th) 213.1 (13th)
Rushing 97.7 (8th) 94.6 (6th)
Total Defense (yards) 305.0 (7th) 307.6 (9th)

 

Quarterback
Eli Manning (Game 1): 28/41 for 312 yards. 4 TDs, 1 INT.
Eli Manning (Game 2):
23/34 for 236 yards. 1 TD, 2 INTs.
Combined: 51/75 for 548 yards. 5 TDs, 3 INTs.
 
Tony Romo (Game 1): 15/24 for 345 yards. 4 TDs, 1 INT.
Tony Romo (Game 2):
20/28 for 247 yards. 4 TDs, 1 INT.
Combined: 35/52 for 592 yards. 8 TDs, 2 INTs.
Running Back
Brandon Jacobs (Game 1): 6 rushes, 26 yards.
Brandon Jacobs (Game 2): 23 rushes, 95 yards. 1 catch, 10 yards.
Combined: 29 rushes, 101 yards. 1 catch, 10 yards.
Marion Barber (Game 1): 11 rushes, 65 yards, 1 TD. 1 catch, 29 yards.
Marion Barber (Game 2): 12 rushes, 34 yards. 3 catches, -1 yard.
Combined: 23 rushes, 99 yards, 1 TD. 4 catches, 28 yards.

Julius Jones (Game 1): 16 rushes, 66 yards. 1 catch, 11 yards.
Julius Jones (Game 2):
11 rushes, 48 yards.
Combined: 27 rushes, 114 yards. 1 catch, 11 yards.
 

Receivers
Plaxico Burress (Game 1): 8 catches, 144 yards, 3 TDs.
Plaxico Burress (Game 2):
4 catches, 24 yards.
Combined: 12 catches, 168 yards, 3 TDs.

Amani Toomer (Game 1): 9 catches, 91 yards.
Amani Toomer (Game 2): 3 catches, 37 yards.
Combined: 11 catches, 128 yards.

Terrell Owens (Game 1): 3 catches, 87 yards, 2 TDs.
Terrell Owens (Game 2):
6 catches, 125 yards, 2 TDs.
Combined: 9 catches, 212 yards, 4 TDs.

Jason Witten (Game 1): 6 catches, 116 yards, 1 TDs.
Jason Witten (Game 2): 2 catches, 12 yards.
Combined: 8 catches, 128 yards, 1 TD.

Patrick Crayton (Game 1): 3 catches, 51 yards.
Patrick Crayton (Game 2): 5 catches, 66 yards, 1 TD.
Combined: 8 catches, 116 yards, 1 TD.
 

Defense
NYG (Game 1): 45 PA, 1 INT, 1 fumble, 1 sack.
NYG (Game 2):
31 PA, 1 INT, 2 sacks.
Combined: 38 PPG, 2 INT, 1 fumble, 3 sacks.
Dallas (Game 1): 35 PA, 1 INT, 1 sack.
Dallas (Game 2):
20 PA, 2 INT, 5 sacks.
Combined: 27.5 PPG, 3 INT, 6 sacks.
 
Special Teams
Lawrence Tynes (Game 1): 3 of 3 from 44, 48, and 24 yards.
Lawrence Tynes (Game 2):
2 of 2 from 40 and 26 yards.
Combined: 5 of 5, with 3 kicks beyond 40 yards.
Nick Folk (Game 1): 1 of 1 from 31 yards.
Nick Folk (Game 2): 1 of 1 from 44 yards.
Combined: 2 of 2, with 1 kick beyond 40 yards.

FINAL PREDICTION:
Dallas Cowboys 26, New York Giants 24.
Forget all of the talk about Jessica Simpson; this game will be whether or not the Dallas Cowboys are a better football team than the New York Giants. As hot as the Giants have been lately, the Cowboys physically manhandled them in terms of scoring points on two occasions this season. For every effective pass rusher the Giants have, they couldn't get to Romo. The Giants, who led the league in sacks, only brought him down three times in two games. Terrell Owens also dominated the Giants' secondary both times he faced them, and with how he's recovered from injuries in the past, I doubt he'll be hampered on gameday. The Giants will get solid play from Eli Manning, but with both defenses getting their fair share of stops, the Cowboys will get the better end of a competitive contest.
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