FORT WORTH, TX – From the first snap of the night it was clear it wasn’t the New York Giants night. Eli Manning had three interceptions and David Wilson fumbled twice as Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys continued their dominance in home openers.
Manning was picked off on the first play from scrimmage by All-Pro linebacker DeMarcus Ware that would set the tone for the rest of the game.
Despite the Giants winning three of their last four meetings against the rivaled Cowboys and Manning’s four straight victories at AT&T Stadium — a feat no quarterback in NFL history has accomplished — history didn’t help the Giants on Sunday night as they committed a back-breaking six turnovers.
Behind two touchdown receptions by tight end Jason Witten, the Cowboys improved their NFL-best home opener record to 36-17-1 by beating the Giants 36-31.
The Cowboys (1-0) go on the road to Kansas City to face the Chiefs (1-0), where new head coach Andy Reid has a long history playing against Dallas from his days with Philadelphia.
Romo left the game briefly before the end of the first half with a rib injury, but returned to finish the game with 263 yards and two touchdowns — finding three receivers eight or more times and DeMarco Murray had 125 total yards on offense for the Cowboys.
“We just had to take what the Giants gave us,” Romo said after the game. “It was unbelievable the way our defense played. We haven’t created as many turnovers in years past as we would’ve liked.”
The six takeaways by the Cowboys were shocking considering they were the second-worst in the NFC in 2012 in that department with 16 all year long. The six turnovers committed by the Giants tied for the most in a game in the last twenty-five seasons.
“It’s been an emphasis since day one this year,” Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said in his post game press conference. “We drill it in practice. We show them statistics. We show them tape. It’s the most important statistic in the league. It’s always been that way.”
The Cowboys defense, which scored two touchdowns off New York turnovers, responded to Garrett and new defensive coordinator Monty Kiffin who preached improvement in takeaways in the offseason.
“Obviously the turnovers were the story of the game,” Garrett said. “Taking the ball away is the biggest difference maker in this game. It’s great to see as a coach when the things you focus on pay off early.”
The Giants, despite the turnovers, fought their way back into the game behind Manning’s 450 passing yards four touchdowns — three of which went to Victor Cruz, who shook off a preseason heel injury to go for 118 yards on five receptions. But it was too little too late for the Giants as their first half struggles proved too much to overcome.
Giants head coach Tom Coughlin called the first half “the worst half he’s seen in his life” — a half that saw Wilson fumble once and then again on the first play in the second half. Wilson’s day was done following his second fumble as second-year back Da’Rel Scott assumed the starting duties as Andre Brown is out with a broken leg.
“I’m embarrassed by that type of play of football. It was sloppy, sloppy play. You can’t win turning the football over. Bottom line,” a disgruntled Coughlin said in his post game press conference.
Wilson was in Coughlin’s doghouse early last year for fumble issues before making a push late in the season to win the starting job this year.
On the ensuing drive following his first interception, Manning bounced back by finding Hakeem Nicks on a slant route who took it to the Cowboys 23-yard line on a 57 yard catch-and-run. Three plays later, at the Cowboy’s 8-yard line, Wilson was stripped by Barry Church on a play that would’ve lost two yards. Instead it resulted in a lost possession as George Selvie recovered the Wilson fumble.
The Giants (0-1) will have little time to dwell on their missed opportunities against the Cowboys as they face Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos (1-0) following Manning’s brilliant 7 TD-performance next Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
Romo and the Cowboys offense utilized the no-huddle package to perfection on a nine-play, 69-yard drive that ate up nearly five minutes in the second quarter. Romo linked up with Witten three times, including a 15-yard touchdown that gave Dallas a 13-3 lead with 2:55 to play in the second quarter.
It took the Giants just over 28 minutes to find any rhythm on offense, but only a minute to strike big. On a broken play where safety Will Allen appeared unaware of the play on the field, Cruz streaked by him on a fly pattern from the slot as Manning found him for the 70-yard touchdown score to cut the Cowboys lead to 13-10 with 1:50 to go in the first half.
On 2nd & 20 with under a minute to go in the second quarter Romo was sandwiched by Mathias Kiwanuka and Justin Trattou following an incomplete pass intended for Terrance Williams. He sat out the remainder of the half before returning to start the second half.
Wilson’s butterfingers continued on the second play of the second half. On a third yard gain up the middle Wilson was taken down by Nick Hayden, who ripped the ball lose before a twisting Wilson touched the ground. Church picked up the loose ball and returned it 27 yards along the right side of the field for a touchdown to make it 20-10 Dallas.
With 5:44 to go in the third quarter and the Cowboys punting, punter Chris Jones kicked a short, wobbly punt that kicked back and hit blocker Trumaine McBride inadvertently in the arm. The Cowboys recovered the ball at the Giants 16-yard line, marking the fifth turnover of the game for Big Blue.
The Cowboys inside linebackers faked the blitz on a first down with Manning and the Giants driving under two minutes to play in the game attempting to take the lead. Manning recognized the play and checked down to Scott on an audibled-screen play. Scott failed to turn his head around to see the ball in time and the ball tipped off his left hand and into the hands of Brandon Carr who returned the interception 49 yards to the game-sealing score. The second defensive touchdown for the Cowboys put the game out of reach, 36-24.
GAME NOTES: Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul recorded a sack in the game after being 12 weeks removed from back surgery … WR Hakeem Nicks (114 yards) and Rueben Randle (101 yards) both had five receptions … ILB Dan Connor left the game in the first half with what the team called a “stinger” as did CB Prince Amukamara (concussion) … WR Miles Austin grabbed 10 receptions for 72 yards … TE Jason Witten added eight receptions and 70 yards with his two touchdowns.
