An inside take a look at Sunday night’s Giants-Cowboys NFL Week 1 opener at MetLife Stadium:
Marquee matchup
Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence vs. Giants RT Evan Neal
Everyone knows what happened the primary time these players went at one another.
It was Lawrence in a knockout, punishing the rookie Neal during Week 3 last 12 months for 3 sacks — half of Lawence’s total for the complete season.
Neal said it was the worst game he has ever played.
Neal worked diligently this offseason, changing up his pass protection set to more quickly engage with onrushing defenders.
Lawrence, 31, knows all of the tricks and the Giants cannot afford to swing much help Neal’s way, with sack-happy Micah Parsons going at left tackle Andrew Thomas on the opposite side of the road.
Paul’s pick
Go along with the Giants on this matchup at your personal peril — especially if Darren Waller is unable to play or limited by a decent hamstring. Brian Daboll succeeded on so many levels in his head-coaching debut season, but finding a technique to beat the Cowboys and the Eagles was not among the many achievements. Should figure the Giants are higher equipped to take care of the Dallas ground game and more able to putting heat on Dak Prescott. Now, can the offensive line keep Daniel Jones on his feet long enough to search out all those upgraded weapons?
Giants 27, Cowboys 23
4 Downs
Calling the shots: Mike McCarthy made his name within the NFL calling plays on offense because the Packers’ head coach, and it was a surprise when he ceded play-calling responsibility to Kellen Moore three years ago when he took over in Dallas.
Now, nonetheless, Moore is the offensive coordinator for the Chargers, and McCarthy is the Cowboys’ play-caller.
“I feel like I’m back in my element and doing what I feel like I do best,” he said.
Expect McCarthy to include a few of his West Coast offense philosophies.
“It’s the primary game and even the primary a part of the season, there are a whole lot of unknowns,’’ Brian Daboll said. “Got a whole lot of respect for coach McCarthy, I mean he was a coordinator back in 2000 [with the Saints]. So, he’s been doing this a protracted time. Has a very good track record, been very successful. What he is selecting to call or how he’s calling it, we won’t know that until Sunday.’’
Tale of the tape: Dak Prescott is 10-2 starting against the Giants and 10-0 in his past 10 starts. The Giants are 1-7 when facing the Cowboys since Daniel Jones arrived in 2019, and Jones is 1-5 in his six starts against the Cowboys.
Prescott was intercepted a career-high 15 times in 2022, raising questions as to his status as a franchise quarterback after he signed a four-year, $160 million contract prior to the 2021 season.
Jones last season had the bottom interception rate (1.1 percent) of any quarterback within the league.
The Giants this offseason secured Jones with essentially the identical deal — 4 years, $160 million — as Prescott received, and that is the primary game for Jones since he got paid.
With tight end Darren Waller (coping with a hamstring issue), classy receiver Parris Campbell and rookie speedster Jalin Hyatt, Jones has more firepower than any time in his profession.
Latest role: Adoree’ Jackson doesn’t get his hands on the ball often enough — just three interceptions in 69 profession games — to rank among the many NFL’s top cornerbacks.
He’s, nonetheless, the most effective the Giants put out on the sphere, and his speed and savvy as a fringe corner make him a challenge for opposing wide receivers.
He selflessly and enthusiastically agreed to maneuver inside to fill the slot corner role after rookie sixth-round pick Tre Hawkins stunned the coaching staff and won a starting job.
“I used to be ecstatic and excited in regards to the opportunity that I used to be going to give you the option to have in that position and at the top of the day it’s all about ‘we over me,’ that we talked about,’’ Jackson said.
Within the slot, Jackson will see loads of CeeDee Lamb, the Cowboys’ best receiver.
Hit the sack: Tucked into the Cowboys’ 2-0 series sweep of the Giants in 2022 was this tidbit: Dallas sacked Jones eight times within the two games.
The Giants didn’t get a single sack against the Dallas quarterbacks.
That’s … unacceptable. “I believe that we played well, just couldn’t finish them, and it is a recent 12 months,’’ defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said.
Edge rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari were on the sphere together for just seven games last season.
“It was rare,’’ Thibodeaux said. “I told him, ‘Listen, someone asked me, are we gonna have a gathering on the quarterback?’ And I told him I’ll carpool if I actually have to.’’