America’s Game
The NFL regular season is finally here!
As you may note, the Denver Broncos do not play the Cowboys or Giants, this year, but this game is still a must-watch event. Whether or not you're a fantasy football player looking for Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, Eli Manning orHakeem Nicks to have breakout performances to boost your score, this game represents the end of my least favorite season... the non-football season. The months without meaningful football will give way to the glorious fall months of fantasy football leagues, primetime football, division rivalries, big plays, and Peyton "Freaking" Manning.
Although, many people around the league debate which is the better Manning (Peyton Manning or Eli Manning), if you look back on the last time Eli faced the Cowboys, he had quite a day. He threw for 346 yards and 3 TDs, vaulting the Giants to a 31-14 win on New Years Day. A few weeks later, Eli Manning was holding the Lombardi Trophy.
Say what you will, but Eli Manning is the real deal.
If you're new to the "open thread" theme, here's a bit of information for you to feel at home. Like we've done for the past few seasons, these open threads will be a way for us all to converse during the games. It's like having the whole of MHR in your living room, sitting on your couch and shooting the breeze while NFL football graces your television screen. So, pass me those chips, already. Part of being a good host is to make sure your guests are satisfied. Don't worry, you'll be a pro in a week or so.
Enjoy the game and Go Broncos!!!.... on Sunday night.
| COWBOYS | GIANTS | |
| SERIES LEADER | 56-41-2 | |
| STREAKS | 6 of past 8 | |
| COACHES VS. OPP. | Garrett: 1-2 | Coughlin: 12-8 |
LAST MEETING: The Meadowlands on New Year’s Day 2012 where the Giants prevailed 31-14. QB Eli Manning threw for 346 yards & 3 TDs for 136.7 passer rating to help the Giants clinch NFC East on their way to winning the Super Bowl..
BROADCAST: NBC (8:30 PM ET): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya (Field reporter). Westwood One Radio: Kevin Harlan, Boomer Esiason, Mark Malone (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 88 (WW1), 92 (Dal.), 93 (NYG). XM: 88 (WW1), 225 (Dal.), 226 (NYG.).
2011 STATS
| COWBOYS | GIANTS | |
| PASSING | Romo:346-522-4,184-31-10-102.5 | Manning:359-589-4,933-29-16-92.9 |
| RUSHING | Murray: 164-897-5.5-2 | Bradshaw: 171-659-3.9-9 |
| RECEIVING | Witten (TE): 79-942-11.9-5 | Cruz: 82-1,536-18.7-9 |
| OFFENSE | 375.5 | 385.1 |
| TAKE/GIVE | +4 | +7 |
| DEFENSE | 343.2 | 376.4 |
| SACKS | Ware: 19.5 | Pierre-Paul: 16.5 |
| INT’s | 3 tied:4 | Webster: 6 |
| PUNTING | C. Jones: 42.6 | Weatherford: 45.7 |
| KICKING | Bailey: 135 (39/39 PAT; 32/37 FG) | Tynes: 100 (43/43 PAT; 19/24 FG) |
NOTES
COWBOYS: Are NFL-best 34-17-1 (.663) on KO Weekend…QB TONY ROMO had 4,184 yards & has only 3 4,000-yard seasons in team history. Aims for 5th in row vs. NYG with 100+ rating & has 119.4 rating in past 4 vs. NYG…RB FELIX JONES has 350 scrimmage yards (116.7 per game) in past 3 meetings. RB DE MARCO MURRAY set team rookie record with 253 rush yards in Week 7…Since 2007, TE JASON WITTEN has 444 catches, most by NFL TE. Has led Cowboys in receptions 5 years in row. WR-PR DEZ BRYANT has 5 TDs (4 rec., 1 PR) in 4 games vs. NYG. WR MILES AUSTIN has rec. TD in 2 of past 3 meetings…LB DE MARCUS WARE has 25.5 sacks in past 19. Since 2006, has 91.5 sacks, most in NFL. LB SEAN LEE led team with career-high 131 tackles & had 4 INTs, most by NFC LB. Rookie CB MORRIS CLAIBORNE (No. 6 overall) makes NFL debut & won Jim Thorpe Award at LSU.
GIANTS: Have 49 wins in home openers, tied for 2nd most all-time. TOM COUGHLIN is oldest head coach to win SB & is 2-0 in SBs…QB ELI MANNING is 5th player to win SB MVP 2+ times (XLII, XLVI). Set NYG record with 4,933 yards & had 15 4th Q TD passes, most in season in NFL history. Manning & HOFer DAN MARINO only players in NFL history with 3+ 400-yard pass games in season. Is 5-1 in past 6 vs. Dal. with 101.6 rating…RB AHMAD BRADSHAW had rush & rec. TD in last meeting, 2nd time in career with rush & rec. TD in game…WRs VICTOR CRUZ (team-record 1,536) & HAKEEM NICKS (1,192) are 1st set of Giants to each record 1,000+ rec. yards in same season. Each had TD catch in last meeting. Cruz had club-record 7 100-yard games. Nicks is only player in team history with 75+ catches, 1,000+ yards & 7+ TDs in consecutive seasons…DE JASON PIERRE-PAUL had 16.5 sacks, joining HOFer LAWRENCE TAYLOR & MICHAEL STRAHAN as only Giants with 16+ sacks in season. Has 3 sacks, safety, FF & blocked FG in past 2 vs. Dal.