By Schuyler Dixon, The Associated Press on November 28, 2024.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – DeMarvion Overshown returned an interception 23 yards for a touchdown, Rico Dowdle ran for a score in his first career 100-yard game and the Dallas Cowboys held on for a 27-20 Thanksgiving Day victory over the New York Giants. Cooper Rush threw a TD pass, and Dowdle finished with 112 yards Thursday as the Cowboys (5-7) ended a six-game home losing streak going back to a wild-card loss to Green Bay last season. Drew Lock, who started in place of the injured Tommy DeVito a week after the benching and subsequent release of Daniel Jones, lost a fumble following Overshown’s pick-6 in a seventh consecutive loss for the Giants (2-10). Lock ran for 57 yards and a touchdown that ended up being too late to avoid New York’s eighth consecutive loss to its NFC East rival. The Giants had their first lead since Week 5 before Overshown’s dynamic play put Dallas back in front for good in the second quarter. The Cowboys led for just 2 minutes, 15 seconds during their six-game skid at AT&T Stadium. Leading 7-6, Lock tried to flip a screen pass to Devin Singletary after the running back had been overpowered trying to block Overshown. The second-year linebacker tipped the pass into the air toward the end zone, used his speed to run it down and scored untouched. Overshown also recovered Lock’s fumble on the opening possession of the second half to set up Rush’s 2-yard TD pass to Brandin Cooks in a second straight win for Dallas coming off a five-game losing streak. Rush, now 2-2 as the starter this season with Dak Prescott out for the year with a torn hamstring, threw the scoring pass to Cooks the play after the quarterback’s apparent fumble into the end zone was overturned on review. Cooks, who had a diving first-down catch in the final two minutes to clinch the victory, was playing for the first time since Dallas’ 20-15 victory over the Giants in Week 4. He ended up with an infected knee after getting an injection in New York the day after that Dallas win. Dowdle had 46 yards rushing in the first quarter after his longest carry of the season, a 22-yarder. The Dallas offense bogged down after two efficient drives, but a suddenly opportunistic defense kept the Cowboys in front. Lock had a 28-yard scramble to set up the first New York touchdown and another 21-yarder before his 8-yard TD with 2:18 remaining. But he was sacked six times. Injuries Giants: Standout DT Dexter Lawrence injured an elbow and didn’t return. … DL D.J. Davidson injured a shoulder in the first half. Cowboys: Special teamer Juanyeh Thomas was carted off with a right knee injury in the first half and didn’t return. … CB Josh Butler also didn’t return after injuring a knee. … Rookie LT Tyler Guyton left in the first half with ankle and knee injuries and was replaced by Chuma Edoga, who made his season debut. Up next Giants: New Orleans at home Dec. 8. Cowboys: The mini-break plus a day before Cincinnati visits Dec. 9. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl 20