Giants vs. Cowboys: Nabers Headlines Keys to Victory

On Thursday, the New York Giants will welcome the Dallas Cowboys to MetLife Stadium and hope to send them home. Divisional games are always meaningful, but with Dallas coming into town with back-to-back losses, New York has an opportunity to force the Cowboys’ hand toward the panic button.

But Dallas is a more talented team with far better quarterback play and dynamic stars on both sides of the ball. The Cowboys are also among the league’s best special teams units, while the Giants have struggled mightily, limiting paths to a prime-time upset.

What must happen for New York to come away with a Week 4 win?

Malik Nabers must move around the formation.

Everyone playing the Giants knows stopping one player can single-handedly win the game. Receiver Malik Nabers has been among the best players in the sport through three weeks.

In Week 3, New York attempted to get Nabers in the slot and on the opposite boundary of star corner Denzel Ward. It worked, to the tune of eight catches, 78 yards, and two scores. Expect more of the same on Thursday.

Cowboys corner Trevon Diggs is a star and the league’s premier ball hawk. The rest of the secondary is far more formidable, especially with DaRon Bland and Caelen Carson not playing. Whether it be pivoting inside, motioning him at the snap, or giving him the occasional backfield snap, head coach Brian Daboll must optimize this mismatch and stay one step ahead of the Dallas defense.

Make Dallas prove it can stop the run.

The Cowboys, through three weeks, have the worst run defense in football. They’ve been embarrassed in consecutive weeks on the ground, and New York may offer reprieve by way of a fringe-average ground game.

Simply put, the Giants must make Dallas pay for its sins against run defense. The spine of the Cowboys defense is among the weakest in the league, and the two competent teams they’ve played have taken full advantage of it.

Running back Devin Singletary isn’t going to rip off explosives left and right. But against a front allowing a 49 percent success rate against the run, the Giants have no excuse not to establish the run and keep quarterback Daniel Jones in a multi-dimensional offense.

The offensive line is playing far better than last year. Now’s the time to make it count.

Related: 'We Like Our Matchups!' Giants, Jones Confident in Nabers

Build upon Week 3’s pass rush.

New York entered the year knowing other teams will have more high-level talent throughout virtually all of the schedule. But after adding edge rusher Brian Burns to defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and first-round edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux is supposed to be a recipe for stealing games.

The plan worked to fruition on Sunday, compiling eight sacks and rendering Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson toothless.

Dak Prescott and a better Cowboys offensive line will present more of a challenge than Cleveland did. But allowing Prescott to get comfortable is a good way to get exposed, especially without cornerbacks Dru Phillips and Adoree’ Jackson.

New York’s defense will be at its best when it’s complementary between its pass rush and coverage. But with the secondary weak, thin, and already hit with injuries, Lawrence and the rest of the defensive line must compensate.