After an abysmal showing in week 6 the New York Giants will face a rested Dallas Cowboys team. This matchup should paint an accurate picture of what to expect in the NFC East going forward. Currently Dallas is undefeated in the division however has a 2-3 record with week 6 being their bye week.
The Giants have lost 2 divisional games to Philadelphia and Dallas however beat the Washington Redskins. The other two divisional rivals Washington and Philadelphia also have a lot riding on this NFC East battle. The Redskins have beaten the Philadelphia Eagles in a dramatic come from behind victory however got destroyed by the Giants.
The Eagles on the other hand have lost to both the Redskins and the Cowboys but have a win over the Giants. A Cowboys victory would make them undefeated in their battles with NFC East teams making them the most winning team in the division. The bigger the divisional lead the easier it is to keep your division rivals out of the playoffs.
The Cowboys are coming off of a bye week that has allowed them to re-evaluate their offense. The Cowboys have chosen to start running back Christine Michael and quarterback Matt Cassel over Brandon Weeden and Joseph Randle.
This will make a difference in how the offense flows but whether or not that it will be a change for the better remains to be seen. On the defensive side of the ball the Cowboys will see the return of Randy Gregory their 2nd round pick out of Nebraska. Gregory recorded a sack in his first game in the NFL and will look to add to this potentially deadly defensive line that boasts, Greg Hardy, Demarcus Lawrence, and Tryone Crawford.
The Giants are hoping that offensive lineman Will Beatty can return to help protect Eli Manning against the Cowboys exotic blitz packages but that remains to be seen. Victor Cruz will remain out however Odell Beckham JR has shown that he can make it through a game without aggravating his hamstring injury.
Prince Amukamara's status is in doubt which would be a huge plus for Matt Cassel as he is clearly the Giants best defensive back. Jason Pierre Paul is also set to meet with the Giants to figure out a deadline for his return however it is unlikely that he will be back for the week 7 grudge match.
The Cowboys simply have to do two things to win, 1. Get pressure on Eli Manning, and 2 score points. The Giants also have a simple gameplan heading into week 6, 1. Protect Eli Manning, 2. Score more points than Matt Cassel. A Cowboys win would put the NFC East into a three way tie for first with the Cowboys winning the tie breaker. Considering the opponents the Giants have left to face this is a must win game for both teams.
