NFL NEWS AND NOTES
Sunday Night Football: Cowboys at Giants
By Covers Staff



Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants (-3, 46)

THE STORY: The scenario could not be more straightforward for the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, who will meet in a winner-take-all, loser-go-home matchup on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The game will decide the NFC East title and the No. 4 seed in the postseason – an equation simple enough that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones may not feel compelled to run down to the sideline and explain it to his head coach. When the teams met three weeks ago in Dallas, Eli Manning threw a pair of touchdown passes in the final 3:14 to rally the Giants to a stunning 37-34 victory. The Cowboys enter the game with injury concerns to QB Tony Romo (hand) and RB Felix Jones (hamstring).

TV: NBC, 8:20 p.m. ET.

LINE: The Giants opened at -3 and have remained steady at a field goal for the most part. A few 2.5 lines popped up briefly before action bet them back to the original spread. The total has climbed from 46 to 47 points.

WEATHER: The forecast for MetLife Stadium is calling for clear skies and temperatures in the high 30s. There will be a light wind, blowiing WNW at 6 mph.

ABOUT THE COWBOYS (8-7, 5-9-1 ATS): Romo insists he will be ready to play despite a bruised right hand sustained from banging it on a defender’s helmet last week. He was limited in practice again Thursday and had a protective wrap on the hand. Romo was sensational in the first meeting with New York, throwing for 321 yards and fourth touchdowns. Jones, who came off the bench to run for 106 yards against the Giants, was also limited Thursday. The Cowboys are tied for seventh in the league in sacks, but didn’t get to Manning once in the first meeting. DE DeMarcus Ware had two sacks last week to give him 18.0 for the season.

ABOUT THE GIANTS (8-7, 7-7-1 ATS): New York had lost five of six before an emotional 29-14 win over the Jets last week. The Giants have labored on their home field with a 4-3 record this season. That includes three-point wins over AFC East also-rans Miami and Buffalo and a stunning 23-10 loss to Washington two weeks ago. Manning has thrown for a franchise-record 4,587 yards and has won four of the last five matchups against Dallas. Undrafted WR Victor Cruz had the biggest play in last week’s win with a 99-yard scoring pass. He has amassed a team-record 1,358 yards on 76 receptions. RB Brandon Jacobs had 101 yards and two TDs vs. Dallas.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Romo needs 105 yards to reach 4,000 for the season. He’s the only QB in team history to reach 4,000.

2. Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul had two sacks, a safety, forced fumble and game-saving blocked FG in last meeting with Dallas.

3. The winner of Sunday’s game will host either the Detroit Lions or Atlanta Falcons in a wild card matchup next weekend.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-0-1 in the last five meetings in New York.
* Over is 5-0 in the last five meetings.
* Cowboys are 1-4 ATS in their last five meetings.
* Road team is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings.
* Underdog is 5-0 ATS in their last five meetings.

PREDICTION: Cowboys 30, Giants 27. New York could have made this game meaningless if not for laying an egg at home against the Redskins two weeks ago. It comes back to bite the Giants.