Cowboys vs. Giants: Five matchups to watch in Week 1
The Dallas Cowboys are ready to start the 2023 NFL season as they'll travel to New York to face the rival Giants in the season opener. Naturally, the Cowboys are seeking continuity in their recent domination of the Giants, a franchise that hasn't beaten Dak Prescott – who will be seeking history this weekend – […]
The Dallas Cowboys are ready to start the 2023 NFL season as they'll travel to New York to face the rival Giants in the season opener.
Naturally, the Cowboys are seeking continuity in their recent domination of the Giants, a franchise that hasn't beaten Dak Prescott – who will be seeking history this weekend – since his rookie season back in 2016.
Here are four matchups that will dictate how Sunday Night Football goes.
EDGE Micah Parsons vs. LT Andrew Thomas
This has to be the main event of the evening. The last time that Micah Parsons and Andrew Thomas squared up against each other, there was enough trash talk before and after the fact. And although it's difficult to know exactly how many times Micah will line up versus Thomas as he moves around consistently, you know he'll want another shot at the Giants' left tackle.
On Thanksgiving last year, the Giants arrived at the game with a plan to neutralize Parsons. They threw screen passes to his side of the field, ran play-fakes with Daniel Jones rolling away from him, and used plenty of eye candy to slow down #11. Those efforts came short as Parsons got two sacks and disrupted the game in so many ways.
But let's give Thomas his flowers: He's one of the best young tackles in the league and this has a chance of being one of the best rivalries in the NFC East for a long time. The trenches are the one area where the Cowboys can dominate all of September but this battle should be a fun back-and-forth.
EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux vs. LT Tyron Smith
On the flip side, there's the young Thibodeaux against the aging Smith. The last time the Cowboys played the Giants, the young edge rusher had one of the best games of his rookie season. He totaled nine pressures and hit Dak Prescott five times throughout the game with a whopping 28% pressure rate.
Smith makes his triumphant return to left tackle after being assigned to the opposite side of the offensive line upon his return last season. This will be a trial by fire for the future Hall of Famer who's trying to show there's still plenty of football left in him.
S Jayron Kearse vs. TE Darren Waller
Rocking his new jersey number, #1, Jayron Kearse will likely be matching up against one of the best tight ends in the league on Sunday night: Darren Waller.
The Giants traded for him in the offseason in the hopes of giving Daniel Jones a legitimate weapon entering 2023. And he's delivered the organization a strong training camp and preseason. Now it's time for Waller to stay healthy and play his first full season since 2020 when he caught 107 passes for 1,196 yards and nine touchdowns.
This is the perfect chance for Kearse to ruin his party and fans should expect a lot of targets headed his way as Waller should be Jones' go-to in Week 1.
DC Dan Quinn vs. C John Michael Schmitz
This is the X-factor matchup for me. Quinn, a master of pressure designs and pass protection manipulation, will get a rookie center making his NFL debut in John Michael Schmitz.
The kid who's been described by teammates as an "animal" in the trenches will also need to make his declarations in pass protection and captain the offensive line. With the tools at Quinn's disposal, the Cowboys' defense is guaranteed to show him some exotic looks that keep him confused from the moment the game starts.
The Giants' interior offensive line is a point of weakness the Cowboys are likely going to attack and that'll include confusing the center with creative pressure designs.
Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup vs. rookie cornerbacks
CeeDee Lamb will get most of his work from the slot versus nickel cornerback Adoree Jackson, who has felt Lamb's wrath before. Just think of last year when Lamb had a great night with Cooper Rush throwing him the football.
But entering Week 1, I'm mostly intrigued by the fact that the Giants seem set on starting a pair of rookie cornerbacks against the Cowboys. Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins have impressed in New York and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, notorious for his man-coverage defensive looks could be sending them out against Cooks and Gallup.
I'll take the Cowboys on that battle.
Cowboys: Multiple starters to miss practice before Week 1 Giants game
They’re on a footrace versus time.
Featured image via Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
