Giants.com brings you an instant postgame recap of Sunday's loss to the Cowboys:
AT A GLANCE
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The Cowboys, playing like they were sick of hearing how the Giants swept them last year, took the first leg of the 2017 series with a 19-3 victory at AT&T Stadium. It snapped a three-game winning streak for the Giants over the reigning NFC East champions. They will see each other again in Week 14.
UP NEXT
The Giants return to MetLife Stadium for their home opener on "Monday Night Football" against the Lions, who defeated the Cardinals in Week 1. Last season, Big Blue beat Detroit, 17-6, at home in Week 15.
WHAT WE LEARNED ON OFFENSE
• Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who was listed as questionable for Sunday night's game, did not play. The three-time Pro Bowler was a game-time decision and has not played since suffering an ankle injury in the second preseason game in Cleveland. Roger Lewis started in his place.
• The Giants mustered only 49 yards in the first half while losing the time of possession 20:33- 9:27. They did not gain a first down until just under 12 minutes left in the second as the offense played with poor starting field position for much of the night. They were outgained 392-224 in total yards, only 35 of which came on the ground for the Giants.
• Eli Manning and company came out of the locker room with a 16-play, 68-yard yard drive that ate up 9:40 off the clock but only resulted in a field goal. Those would be their only points of the night.
• Rookie tight end Evan Engram, the Giants' first-round draft pick, caught four passes for 44 yards, including a long of 31.
WHAT WE LEARNED ON DEFENSE
• A staple of the league's No. 2 scoring defense from 2016, the Giants buckled down early in the red zone, beginning with a goal-line stand in the first quarter. Big Blue forced three consecutive incompletions from Dak Prescott intended for Dez Bryant in the end zone from the three-yard line. Bryant was held to just two catches for 18 yards and a lost fumble in two games against the Giants in 2016. However, later on, cornerback Janoris Jenkins was called for passing interference on a pass going for Bryant down the sideline, resulting in a 21-yard penalty to set up a first down at the Giants 15. Two plays later, Prescott hit tight end Jason Witten for a touchdown, leading to a 16-0 halftime deficit for the Giants.
• In his first career game, rookie defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson got the start next to All-Pro Damon Harrison. B.J. Goodson also made his first start at middle linebacker and led the team with 18 tackles (14 solo). Goodson is piloting a defense of All-Pros and Pro Bowlers after playing just 13 defensive snaps as a rookie last season.
• Defensive end Olivier Vernon notched the first sack of the season, but that was the only one of the night.
WHAT WE LEARNED ON SPECIAL TEAMS
• After winning a tight competition in the preseason, kicker Aldrick Rosas appeared in his first regular-season NFL game. He made his lone attempt from 25 yards.
• Dwayne Harris, who did not see much preseason action, was the primary returner on both punts and kicks. He also made a special teams tackle inside the Cowboys 20 on a kickoff return.
INACTIVES
NYG: WR Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle), LB Keenan Robinson (concussion), QB Davis Webb, WR Tavarres King, RB Wayne Gallman, OL D.J. Fluker, TE Matt LaCosse
DAL: QB Cooper Rush, RB Darren McFadden, CB Bene' Benwikere, CB Jourdan Lewis, LB Anthony Hitchens, G Jonathan Cooper, WR Noah Brown
LINEUP CHANGES
NYG: Roger Lewis for Beckham at WR
DAL: Jaylon Smith for Hitchens at MLB
INJURY REPORT
DAL: WR Terrance Williams (ankle, returned), CB Orlando Scandrick (hand, did not return)
GAME CAPTAINS
The Giants voted on their 2017 season captains this week, and the three are the same as last season: quarterback Eli Manning, linebacker Jonathan Casillas, and long snapper Zak DeOssie. Coach Ben McAdoo will also name additional game-by-game captains as he did last year. This week, All-Pro safety Landon Collins, center Weston Richburg, and punter Brad Wing received the honor.
