How the Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Giants 28-20 on Thanksgiving

David Ammenheuser

The Dallas Cowboys (8-3) moved into second place in the NFC East with a 28-20 win over the New York Giants (7-4) at AT&T Stadium on Thanksgiving at AT&T Stadium.

Star-Telegram sports editor Dave Ammenheuser’s notes from the game:

Scoring plays

FIRST QUARTER

NYG: Graham Gano, 57-yard field goal. 9:44. Giants lead 3-0

SECOND QUARTER

DAL: Ezekiel Elliott, 6-yard run (B. Maher kick). 14:55. Cowboys lead 7-3

NYG: Saquon Barkley, 1-yard run (G. Gano kick). 8:28. Cowboys lead 10-7

NYG: Graham Gano, 47-yard field goal. 0:00. Giants lead 13-7

THIRD QUARTER

DAL: Dalton Schultz, 15-yard pass from Dak Prescott (B. Maher kick). 7:21. Cowboys lead 14-13.

DAL: Dalton Schultz, 6-yard pass from Dak Prescott (B. Maher kick). 2:02. Cowboys lead 21-13.

FOURTH QUARTER

DAL: Peyton Hendershot, 2-yard run (B. Maher kick). 8:53. Cowboys lead 28-13.

NYG: Rickie James, 1-yard pass from Daniel Jones (Gano kick) 0:08. Cowboys lead 28-20.

Key notes, plays from each possession

Notes are in reverse chronological order

Fourth quarter notes

Giants try onside kick. Cowboys recover. Kneel. Game over.

NYG 10th possession: With 1:13 left, Giants take over at NYG 36. Giants pick up a couple of first downs, marching down the field and score on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Daniel Jones to Rickie James. Gano’s extra point pulls Giants within 28-20 with 8 seconds left.

DAL 9th possession: Starts at DAL 37. Cowboys move into NYG territory where Maher misses a 46-yard field goal.

NYG 9th possession: Starts at NYG 25. Giants drive ends at DAL 37 (Micah Parsons has his second sack of the day in the drive). Ball turns over to Cowboys with 3:12 left.

DAL 8th possession: Starts on DAL 20. Cowboys continue the second-half onslaught, putting together a 10-play, 80-yard drive, ending with a Peyton Hendershot two-yard touchdown run. Maher’s extra point gives Cowboys 21 straight points and a 28-13 lead. 8:53 left.

NYG 8th possession continues: Drive stalls and Giants punt into end zone.

Third quarter notes

NYG 8th possession: Starts at NYG 25. Giants drive to the DAL 48 as quarter ends.

DAL 7th possession: Starts at NYG 45. Cowboys take advantage of the good field position, storm down the field in six plays. Dak Prescott to Dalton Schultz for second TD in third quarter. Maher’s extra point gives Cowboys 21-13 lead with 2:02 left in quarter.

NYG 7th possession: Starts at NYG 25. Giants drive 20 yards, then gamble on fourth-and-1 at the NYG 25. Pass incomplete to Barkley and ball turns over on downs to the Cowboys. 4:07 left in quarter.

DAL sixth possession: Cowboys begin second half with ball, starting on the DAL 25. The Cowboys take the lead with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott to Dalton Schultz. Drive took 14 plays (several penalties on both sides). Maher’s extra point gives Cowboys 14-13 lead with 7:21 left in quarter.

Jonas Bros. entertain

The Jonas Bros. entertained at halftime in special Thanksgiving show.

Second quarter notes

NYG sixth possession: Starts at NYG 27. Giants end half with an 8-play drive that ends with a Graham Gano 47-yard field goal. Giants lead 13-7 at halftime.

DAL fifth possession: Starts at DAL 25. Cowboys drive into NYG territory, however the drive is stopped by Dak Prescott’s second interception of the game. This time Julian Love picked off Prescott at the NYG 10 and returned to the NYG 27. 1:50 remaining in the half.

NYG fifth possession: Starts at NYG 25. Three-and-out and a punt. DAL ball at DAL 25. 7:31 left in half.

DAL fourth possession: Starts at DAL 25. Three-and-out and Cowboys punt. NYG ball at NYG 25.

NYG fourth possession: Starts at NYG 25. Giants move back ahead. Big play in the drive was a 44-yard pass play from Daniel Jones to Darius Slayton to the DAL 1. Two plays later, Saquon Barkley scores on a 1-yard run. Gano’s extra point gives Giants a 10-7 lead. 9:28 left in the half.



DAL third possession continues: First-and-goal at NYG 7. Cowboys get on scoreboard, as Ezekiel Elliott scores on a 7-yard touchdown run on first play of the quarter. Brett Maher’s extra point gives Cowboys a 7-3 lead.

First quarter notes

DAL third possession: Starts at DAL 7. Cowboys put together a 10 play drive,moving ball to NYG as time expires in the first quarter. Michael Gallup had several nice catches. He already has three catches for 24 yards.

NYG third possession: Starts at NTG 31. Drive stalls quickly. 3-and-out. Punt to DAL 14, plus holding penalty puts ball on DAL 7 to begin next drive.

DAL second possession: Starts at DAL 25. Cowboys drive into NYG territory, however Dak Prescott is intercepted by Giants’ Rodarius Williams at NYG 29, return to NYG 31. 7:10 left in quarter.

NYG second possession: Starts at DAL 40. Giants take advantage of the short field. However, several penalties hurt any touchdown chances. Giants settle on Graham Gano 57-yard field goal with 9:44 left in the quarter. Giants lead 3-0.

DAL first possession: Starts at DAL 20. Cowboys gamble, going for it on fourth-and-2 at the DAL 40, Ezekiel Elliott run goes nowhere, turning ball over to NYG with 11:35 to go in quarter.

NYG first possession: Starts at NYG 25. Giants move to DAL 48 before stalling. Punt into end zone

Cowboys won toss, defer to second half. Thus, Giants will get the ball first.

Today’s inactives

GIANTS

COWBOYS

Some pregame reads

Clarence Hill: Who has the edge in the Giants-Cowboys game

Clarence Hill: What to watch in the Thanksgiving game

Jerry Jones plans to meet with Odell Beckham Jr. after Thanksgiving

How to watch and listen today

When: Nov. 24, 3:30 p.m.

Where: AT&T Stadium

TV: FOX

Radio: KRLD/105.3 FM “The Fan”

Line: Cowboys -10

Last meeting: The Cowboys beat the Giants 23-16 on Sept. 26.

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