Lead
Who: The Dallas Cowboys visit the New York Giants. When/Where: Sunday in East Rutherford, the final game of the 2025 NFL season. What/Result at stake: Dallas seeks to extend a nine-game winning streak versus New York and avoid a second consecutive losing season; Dak Prescott is expected to start and could tie a personal streak of 15 straight wins as a starter against the Giants. The Week 2 meeting ended in a 40-37 overtime thriller at AT&T Stadium, and staffers offered split views on how Sunday will unfold.
Key Takeaways
- The game is the Cowboys’ last of the 2025 season, played Sunday in East Rutherford.
- Dallas holds a nine-game winning streak over the Giants; Prescott has won 14 straight starts against New York dating to 2016.
- The Week 2 result was a 40-37 overtime Cowboys win, with both teams combining for 41 points in the fourth quarter.
- Staff predictions cluster in narrow wins for Dallas: projected scores include 35-27, 24-20, 24-16 and 23-20 in four staff forecasts.
- Concerns center on Dallas’ defense—recent games show late collapses—and on whether Prescott will play extended snaps.
- The Giants have altered their profile this season: head coach Brian Daboll was dismissed and rookie QB Jaxson Dart now starts.
- Draft implications matter: the Giants are currently near No. 2 in the draft order and could fall if they win; the Cowboys sit around 14 and could drop as well.
Background
The Cowboys–Giants series has tilted decisively toward Dallas in recent years: a nine-game Cowboys run is the longest active streak the club holds over another opponent. Dak Prescott’s 14 consecutive wins as a starter versus New York is one of the longer single-team streaks by a starter in NFL history and dates back to 2016. That historical edge frames Sunday as more than a single regular-season finale; it’s a continuity test for Dallas’ roster and coaching staff.
Earlier in 2025 the two clubs produced a high-scoring overtime game at AT&T Stadium that ended 40-37, with an explosive fourth quarter that produced 41 combined points. Since then both teams have changed: New York fired Brian Daboll and turned to rookie Jaxson Dart, while the Giants’ personnel picture shifted with notable departures. Dallas has experienced inconsistency—offenses that can jump-start quickly but defenses that have struggled to close games—and enters the finale with questions about health and rotation.
Main Event
Game planning centers on containing Jaxson Dart’s dual-threat ability. Staff analysis notes Dart can win with both his arm and legs, a different challenge than the Giants presented in Week 2 with Russell Wilson, who was more of an arm-only threat that day. Dallas’ defensive front remains a focal point: if the Cowboys can control the line of scrimmage and limit Dart’s space, they increase their chances of extending the streak.
Offensively, Prescott’s expected start changes the calculus for Dallas. Several staffers signaled they expect Dak to begin the game, perhaps for limited series, before backups take more reps. That planned management contributes to uncertainty about play-calling balance and the Cowboys’ ability to sustain drives late in games, a concern highlighted by recent second-half slide patterns.
Weather and field conditions in East Rutherford were raised by staff as potential moderating factors on scoring. One forecasted a lower-scoring final because elements could clamp down on passing and kicking. Special teams and in-game adjustments—particularly the defensive response to mobile quarterbacks—are likely to determine the outcome more than raw season-long metrics.
Analysis & Implications
An extension of Dallas’ streak to 10 games would reinforce psychological dominance in the division and sustain Dak Prescott’s personal legacy against the Giants; a 15th straight win as a starter would be an uncommon historical marker for consistency against one opponent. Conversely, a Giants victory would materially affect draft position and could accelerate front-office decisions in New York about roster construction under a new interim regime.
For Dallas the immediate implication is roster evaluation. Staff commentary emphasized defensive shortcomings—late-game breakdowns and an inability to consistently halt opposing drives—meaning offseason attention on the front seven and secondary adjustments is likely. If the Cowboys win narrowly while relying on Prescott in short bursts, questions about depth and sustainable performance will persist heading into 2026.
For the Giants, the game is a practical test of Jaxson Dart’s readiness. Victories against a division rival while maintaining draft standing present a tension between short-term gain and long-term asset preservation; that calculus informs roster usage and coaching calls. The broader NFC East landscape could shift depending on how both clubs approach Sunday.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Week 2 | Current notes |
|---|---|---|
| Score | Cowboys 40–37 (OT) | Staff projects narrow Cowboys wins (23–35 points) |
| Fourth-quarter points (Wk 2) | 41 combined | Teams showed late scoring capability |
| Cowboys streak vs Giants | 9 consecutive wins | If Dallas wins: 10 |
| Dak as starter vs NY | 14 consecutive wins | If he starts and wins: 15 |
| Giants draft slot | No. 2 (current) | Could fall to 5 or 6 with a win |
The table highlights the contrast between the explosive Week 2 game and staff expectations for a lower-range scoring finish, largely due to environmental factors and strategic management of starters. Draft-order movement is numerical and conditional; a single result could shift both teams’ offseason priorities.
Reactions & Quotes
“I have little confidence the defense can consistently stop an opposing quarterback,”
Patrik (staff)
Patrik flagged defensive inconsistency and noted a recent game in which Josh Johnson and his offense put up 23 points on Christmas Day, underscoring Dallas’ vulnerability to late comebacks.
“They’ll need to be on their P’s and Q’s against Dart — he’s a different athlete than Russell Wilson,”
Tommy (staff)
Tommy stressed the matchup shift posed by Dart’s mobility and recommended focus on edge containment and run fits to blunt his impact.
“This could be one of those games where a loss helps the future more than a win,”
Nick (staff)
Nick pointed to draft implications for both teams and suggested that each side may weigh short-term wins against long-term roster positioning.
Unconfirmed
- Whether Dak Prescott will play beyond a handful of series remains unclear; the team listed him as the starter but did not publish a definitive snap plan.
- The exact draft movement if the Giants win is conditional and dependent on other results; projected falls to No. 5 or 6 are estimates, not finalized outcomes.
- Reports that several Cowboys will be rested or receive limited snaps are circulating but not officially confirmed by the team.
Bottom Line
The matchup is framed by history and context: Dallas owns recent dominance and key statistical streaks, but the club’s defensive frailties and roster management choices make the outcome less certain than the record implies. Expect a game influenced heavily by quarterback usage, defensive adjustments to a mobile passer, and in-game coaching decisions about starters.
For Dallas, a win preserves momentum and extends franchise-level advantages against the Giants; for New York, a win would reshape draft math and provide validation for personnel changes. Regardless of result, the game will clarify offseason priorities: defensive upgrades for the Cowboys and developmental evaluation for the Giants’ staff and rookie quarterback.