Who: Dallas Cowboys at NY Giants

When: Monday, September 26. 2022, 5:15pm ET

Where: East Rutherford, NJ

Spread: Giants -1

Total: 38.5 o/u

The New York Giants are one of the few surprise teams this season, starting the year off 2-0 for the first time since 2016. Under new head coach Brian Daboll, the Giants have cut down on turnovers, mainly committed by QB Daniel Jones. They have ramped up their new-look defense under defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. Though they still struggle to convert red zone possessions into touchdowns, there’s no doubt the overall atmosphere has shifted under Daboll – a welcoming change from the Joe Judge and Pat Shurmur years.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, lost their franchise QB, Dak Prescott, in Week 1 to a hand injury. Prescott is slated to miss several more weeks of football, but his backup Cooper Rush stepped in nicely last weekend to lead the team in a victory against the Cincinnati Bengals. In the win, the Cowboys’ defense managed to sack Bengals QB Joe Burrow six times and force turnovers en route to a 20-17 win. 

The total for this game opened at a low 40 and has since dropped to 38.5, particularly with the news that Cowboys WR Michael Gallup will not suit up for this contest. Expect a low-scoring affair with these two teams who lack offensive firepower and rely on their defense to play shut-down ball.

For the Giants to succeed, they must take the pressure off Daniel Jones by implementing a run-first offense behind Saquon Barkley. In Week 1, Barkley was electrifying and was crucial for the Giants’ success. The Cowboys must pressure Jones and force turnovers to give their offense a chance to score and gain control of the time of possession.

Full disclosure, I am a Giants fan, but my bias is not affected by my pick. I like the Giants to win at home, especially since they will be getting top draft pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, back after being hurt in the preseason. I’m also backing the under since both offenses will look to run the ball and stretch the game. The Giants cover and win.

Pick: Giants -1

Under 38.5