With victories in their first two games the New York Giants put together their first winning streak in almost two years. They are one of three NFC teams and six overall that improved to 2-0 on the young season. I don’t know if we can call them contenders yet but there is a different vibe around the club under new coach Brian Daboll. The Giants aren’t afraid of losing which has made them winners and a short favorite for their Monday Night Football clash with NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys. But recent history favors the Boys, who have won two straight and nine of the last 10 meetings while going 8-2 ATS. The Giants are laying 1-point on the Week 3 NFL betting line.
The Week 3 Monday Night Football contest between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ at 8:15 p.m. ET on September 26, 2022 and will be televised on ESPN and ABC.
Cowboys vs Giants Odds
Dallas Cowboys +1
New York Giants -1
Over/Under 38.5
Odds Analysis
The Cowboys are getting plenty of action at the betting window forcing movement in the line. Big D opened as a 4-point dog and with money flowing their way the line quickly dropped to Dallas +1. Part of that opening number has to do with the injury to Dak Prescott that has him on the shelf for a while. But Dallas rallied around a solid defensive effort and backup Cooper Rush to beat Cincy outright last week 20-17 covering the 7.5-point line. While the Giants are undefeated skeptics abound. They won their first two games outright by a combined four points and if the line holds they’ll be the favorite for the first time in 17 games.
Dallas Cowboys
Things didn’t look good after an ugly Week 1 setback and the loss of Prescott to a hand injury. What Dak and the offense accomplished last season was going to be hard to replicate anyway. The Boys led the league in total offense and scoring. They scored just three points losing to Tampa Bay in the opener. To say there was concern around the Star with Prescott out would be an understatement. There is something to be said about a backup who’s been around and knows the system. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2017, Rush played in only 10 games over the previous four seasons, but he’s now 2-0 as a starter after leading a game-winning scoring drive to beat the Bengals.
Rush has a flair for the dramatic. Filling in for Prescott last year he slung a game-winning touchdown pass in the final minute to beat Minnesota. What’s going to help Dallas, though, is the defense. The group held Tom Brady and Joe Burrow in check over the first two games and surrendered just one touchdown in each contest. You can credit Micah Parsons for some of that. He’s tied for the NFL lead with four of the team’s eight sacks. As a result the Cowboys cashed the UNDER in both games and 11 of 14 contests dating back to last season.
New York Giants
I’m not sure what to think of the Giants yet, but credit Brian Daboll for putting the club in a position to win games. And his players came through both times. He chose to go for the 2-point conversion in the opener following a late touchdown that got the Giants within a point. They successfully converted and survived a missed Tennessee field goal. Leading 19-16 and facing a third-and-6 from their 40 with less than two minutes remaining, Daniel Jones ran a bootleg with the option to run or pass. He kept the ball, picked up the first down and the Giants ran out the clock. “I think it’s important to show players that you have faith in them,” Daboll said.
Jones has been efficient behind center completing 71 percent of his passes with three touchdowns. And the offense is getting a boost from Saquon Barkley, who had 164 yards and a TD on 18 carries in the opener. Barkley leads the NFL with 236 rushing yards averaging 6.1 yards per carry. The Giants have been just as aggressive on defense holding teams to a total of 36 points while allowing fewer than 200 yards on average through the air.
Cowboys vs Giants Predictions
Prediction: Dallas Cowboys +1 and UNDER 38.5
The key to the Giants winning their first three games for the first time in more than decade is Barkley. Successfully running the football takes a lot of pressure of Jones, who’s been sacked more than only Burrow and Jameis Winston. If forced to throw the ball the Giants better contain Parsons. And you have to believe Daboll will roll snake eyes should he plan to be aggressive. I’m not expecting a lot of points and, like I said, I’m not sure what to think of the Giants.
