New York Giants outclass Dallas Cowboys to reach the playoffs – NFL Week 17 recap
New York Giants proved that they are the best team of the National Football Conference East division after convincingly beating Dallas Cowboys 31-14 in the regular season finale of the National Football League at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
The victory sent the Giants into the playoffs whereas the Cowboys went home without reaching the postseason for the second straight year.
“We finished the game the way we wanted to finish it, finish the season the way we wanted to finish it and create an opportunity for ourselves to be in the playoffs and everything goes forward from here,” Giants Coach Tom Coughlin said after getting ninth
win of the season.
The game, which was expected to be a nerve-wracking thriller, was dominated by the Giants for most part. Right from scoring a touchdown at the start of the game to reaching the end zone in the final quarter, the hosts outsmarted the helpless Cowboys.
The highlight of the game was a 74-yard touchdown reception by Victor Cruz in the first quarter that opened the Giants’ account.
In the second quarter, impressive Ahmad Bradshaw had two touchdown runs as the Cowboys struggled to get their first scoring move. At 13:27, Bradshaw managed a five-yard run to take the score to 14-0.
At 01:09, Manning found Bradshaw from 10 yards to take the score at halftime to 21-0.
The Cowboys finally managed to register a touchdown in the third quarter. Tony Romo sent a 34-yard pass to Laurent Robinson to slightly reduce the deficit.
In the fourth quarter, the Cowboys came close when Romo once again found Robinson, this time from six yards, to take the score to 21-14 with the Giants still in lead.
However, the Giants completely maintained hold over the game during the last six minutes. At 05:45, Lawrence Tynes scored a 28-yard field goal to increase the lead. Later at 03:41, Manning sent a four-yard touchdown pass to Hakeem Nicks to take the score
to 31-14, which became decisive.
The Cowboys got their fourth defeat in last five games and regressed from leading the division to get eliminated from the playoff-contention.
“It's extremely painful and it's a d**n shame," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "We have a good team and I thought we would be going to the playoffs, but that didn't happen. We have to be able to take some of the good with the bad and move on.”
The Giants are now going to face Atlanta Falcons next week.
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