The Giants were battered and bruised, but they refused to break and came away with a shocking 21-17 upset of the Cowboys in Dallas Sunday.
The game changed just before halftime. With things tied at 7, Dallas went on a 20-play drive that lasted almost 11 minutes and ended in a touchdown. The Giants got the ball back with 47 seconds left in the half and Eli Manning brought them right down the field for a game-tying touchdown. It was another example of the “new” Eli, a player who finally seems willing to take what is given to him and not force things and it gave the Giants confidence heading into the second half. Chris Snee later said of the drive, "We had to get points. We didn't want to be down 14-7 and them having the ball to start the second half."
Dallas took the opening kickoff and drove the ball, but the Giants’ defense stiffened and held them to a field goal. The Giants couldn’t do much on their next possession, but the defense held again and R.W. McQuarters made the first of two big plays in the game with a 25-yard punt return that put the ball at the Dallas 37-yard line. It took New York six plays to score and when Brandon Jacobs punched it in from the 1, the Giants had a 21-17 lead.
And then it was a matter of survival. The Giants’ secondary was beat up, but the New York pass rush kept Tony Romo from having time to throw. It came down to a final stand as the seconds ticked away and when McQuarters intercepted a Romo pass the Giants had their biggest win in seven years. Antonio Pierce described the end of the game as "the longest 31 seconds of my life."
They will head into Lambeau Field next Sunday with confidence in themselves and their quarterback, who Brandon Jacobs calls "the best quarterback I've ever played with." Will that translate into a trip to the Super Bowl?
Photo of R.W. McQuarters intercepting a pass from Tony Romo by AP/Donna McWilliam
