Giants.com brings you an instant postgame recap of Sunday's matchup with the Cowboys:
AT A GLANCE
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The Giants have done what no other team in the NFL has been able to this season: beat Dallas. And now, they've done it twice. With a 10-7 victory on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium, Big Blue swept the season series with the first-place Cowboys to improve to 9-4.
UP NEXT
In their final home game of 2016, the Giants host the 8-4 Detroit Lions, who defeated the Chicago Bears on Sunday for their fifth consecutive win and maintained their lead in the NFC North. Big Blue won three of the previous four meetings, including a 28-20 victory at MetLife Stadium in 2010. However, Detroit won the most recent matchup, 35-14, at Ford Field in the 2014 season opener.
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE OFFENSE
Running back Shane Vereen, who missed the last nine games with a triceps injury, was activated off injured reserve/designated for return and returned to action vs. Dallas. However, after catching one pass for 10 yards, he left in the second quarter to be evaluated for a possible concussion…Ball security continued to plague the Giants, who entered Week 14 with the fifth-most giveaways (21) in the NFL. QB Eli Manning lost two fumbles while being sacked and threw an interception deep in Cowboys territory with 9:40 left in the game…Manning, while surpassing Warren Moon for seventh place on the NFL's all-time completions list, completed 17 of 28 passes for 193 yards with one touchdown and the pick…The Giants were shut out in the first half for the second week in a row…WR Odell Beckham Jr. broke through with a 61-yard touchdown from Manning with 1:07 to play in the third quarter. He finished the game with four receptions for 94 yards and the score.
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE DEFENSE
The Giants played their first game without DE Jason Pierre-Paul, who underwent surgery this past week for a core muscle injury that he suffered against the Steelers…In place of Pierre-Paul, undrafted rookie DE Romeo Okwara made his first NFL start and led the team with eight tackles, three quarterback hits, one pass defensed and his first career sack…The secondary bit on a fake pitch to RB Ezekiel Elliott and QB Dak Prescott found a wide open WR Terrance Williams for a 31-yard score and the game's first points…Early in the second quarter, CB Janoris Jenkins grabbed a rare interception off the rookie Prescott, who had thrown just two interceptions coming into Sunday. It was Jenkins' third pick of the season and first since having two in Green Bay in Week 5…LB Devon Kennard and LB Jonathan Casillas added one sack apiece…After not allowing a 100-yard rusher in the first 11 games, the Giants have allowed one in back-to-back weeks with Pittsburgh's Le'Veon Bell (118) and Elliott (107)…DB Leon Hall, who was a healthy scratch in Weeks 9-12, grabbed a second interception for the Giants with 1:50 to play in the third quarter…Pro Bowl WR Dez Bryant didn't have a catch until nearly two minutes left in the game, and Jenkins stripped the ball on the play. S Landon Collins recovered, giving the ball back to the offense at the Cowboys 38 with 2:13 left in the game.
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE SPECIAL TEAMS
Bobby Rainey, not Dwayne Harris, was the primary returner on kickoffs while Beckham handled punts...Brad Wing landed five punts inside the 20, including two downed by Harris inside the 5…K Robbie Gould made his lone attempt from 39 yards to score the Giants' first points of the game with 5:50 to play in the third quarter.
INACTIVES
NYG: S Nat Berhe (concussion), LB Mark Herzlich (concussion), Pierre-Paul (core muscle), LG Justin Pugh (knee), QB Josh Johnson, WR Tavarres King, DE Owa Odighizuwa (knee), DE Jason Pierre-Paul (core muscle)
DAL: CB Morris Claiborne (groin), OT Chaz Green (back), S J.J. Wilcox (thigh), QB Mark Sanchez, WR Lucky Whitehead, RB Darius Jackson, DE Ryan Davis, OT Chaz Green (back)
LINEUP CHANGES
NYG:Marshall Newhouse for Pugh at LG; Romeo Okwara for Pierre-Paul at DE
DAL: Anthony Brown for Claiborne at CB; Lance Dunbar for Whitehead at KOR; Cole Beasley for Whitehead at PR
GIANTS GAME CAPTAINS
S Landon Collins, DT Damon Harrison, and C Weston Richburg were the game captains. Yankee legend Mariano Rivera was an honorary captain for the opening coin toss. QB Eli Manning, LB Jonathan Casillas, and LS Zak DeOssie are season-long captains.
INJURY REPORT
NYG:Vereen (evaluated for concussion), DT Johnathan Hankins (burner, returned)
These five players made a key impact in Sunday's game
CB JANORIS JENKINSThe veteran corner grabbed an early interception on rookie quarterback Dak Prescott, who had thrown just two interceptions all season coming into Sunday. It was Jenkins' first pick since having two in Green Bay in Week 5. Jenkins later forced a fumble on wide receiver Dez Bryant that safety Landon Collins recovered to help seal the victory.
WR ODELL BECKHAM JR.Beckham opened things up for the offense with a 61-yard touchdown from Eli Manning late in the third quarter. It proved to be the game-winner as he finished with four catches for 94 yards and the score.
DB LEON HALLInactive from Weeks 9-12, Hall grabbed his first interception in a Giants uniform with 1:50 to play in the third quarter. The Giants capitalized with a touchdown on the ensuing possession.
DE ROMEO OKWARAFilling in for the injured Jason Pierre-Paul, undrafted rookie Romeo Okwara made his first NFL start and led the team with eight tackles, three quarterback hits, one pass defensed and his first career sack.
LB DEVON KENNARDKennard recorded six tackles (two for loss) and one of the Giants' three sacks on the evening. He also batted down a key pass on the Cowboys' final drive.
