DALLAS (AP) — A tough and tight victory for the Dallas Cowboys over the New York Giants kept Dak Prescott and company out of crisis mode for now.
The Cowboys did the same thing twice last season on the way to a third consecutive 12-win season and trip to the playoffs. It remains to be seen how the latest nerve-settling win translates.
Dallas (2-2) gets extra rest coming off the 20-15 victory over the Giants before a trip to Pittsburgh for another prime-time game Oct. 6, this one clouded by questions about the health of star pass rusher Micah Parsons.
“I think we do a really good job internally focusing on what we’re doing every day,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “I think sometimes our guys give honest answers to the questions from the externals and sometimes there’s things that are said that really don’t reflect the way it is internally.”
After consecutive home losses to New Orleans and Baltimore with big first-half deficits and little resistance from the defense, Prescott wasn't alone in questioning the professionalism, focus and practice habits of the team.
The star quarterback's 13th consecutive victory over the Giants wasn't necessarily shiny.
But it was similar to last season's 20-17 win at the Los Angeles Chargers a week after another trip to California ended with a blowout loss in San Francisco. And a 20-19 victory at home against Detroit late in the season after the Cowboys had lost consecutive road games to Buffalo and Miami.
Granted, Dallas got a gift in the final seconds against the Lions when officials negated a 2-point conversion by Detroit that should have counted.
The Cowboys weren't apologizing then, and they're not apologizing now.
“Huge, especially when you compare it to the alternative,” Prescott said. “What that would have been like.”
Next on the list of important things after the victory for Dallas is the status of Parsons' left ankle, which was injured in the fourth quarter when the two-time All-Pro said someone fell on him as he was planting his leg.
Parsons is considered week to week with a high ankle sprain, while fellow pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence could be out longer after spraining his left foot against the Giants, two people with knowledge of the injuries said Friday. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the injuries haven't been released.
What's working
The efficiency of the offense has been fairly steady through the wild ups and downs of the first few weeks. While the Cowboys kept the Giants out of the end zone, they had trouble stopping drives. So that means Prescott's crew did well with the time it had.
Prescott was 22 of 27 for 221 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and one sack. The Cowboys scored a TD on their only trip inside the 20-yard line.
CeeDee Lamb had a 55-yard scoring catch four days after sideline antics in a 28-25 loss to Baltimore that essentially had the All-Pro receiver apologizing.
“We’ve got to continue to be pros,” Prescott said. “That’s not done when you get a win and that’s my point about (how) we’re not going to get overexcited or hopefully the guys don’t listen to anything that’s being written about, good or bad.”
What needs help
Things are getting a bit dicey for Dallas at cornerback because of injuries.
Andrew Booth, acquired in a trade with Minnesota late in the preseason, was the choice to fill in for rookie Caelen Carson but was beaten badly multiple times in the first half and benched after the break. Carson was inactive with a shoulder injury.
Booth was a 2022 second-round pick who never blossomed for the Vikings, and things aren't looking very promising with the Cowboys either. Amani Oruwariye, elevated from the practice squad before the game, replaced Booth and had a victory-sealing interception in the final seconds.
DaRon Bland, who set an NFL record last season with five interception returns for touchdowns, is eligible to return from injured reserve after surgery late in the preseason for a stress fracture in his foot. The Cowboys have been hopeful he could be ready for the Steelers.
Stock up
The run defense rebounded from a brutal pair of games to hold the Giants to 26 yards rushing and 1.1 yards per carry. Second-year defensive tackle Mazi Smith finally showed some promise with a tackle for loss, one of six for the Cowboys.
Stock down
LT Tyler Guyton was called for holding three times as the Cowboys finished with 11 penalties for 89 yards. Officials had to choose between holding penalties when C Cooper Beebe and LG 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.
Injuries
Parsons and Lawrence are the two most accomplished pass rushers for Dallas. Extended absences for either will be a concern. ... Diggs had to leave the game against the Giants with cramps and was treated for dehydration. He isn't expected to miss time, either.
Key number
16 — That's the final count for K Brandon Aubrey's NFL record for consecutive made field goals of at least 50 yards to start a career. After hitting a 60-yarder in the first half, the 29-year-old in his second season missed from 51 in the final minute.
Next steps
The Cowboys last visited Pittsburgh in 2016 when Prescott was in the middle of leading them on an 11-game winning streak. He was the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year that season.
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Schuyler Dixon, The Associated Press
