Stephen A. Calls Cowboys 'Trash' with Loss to Giants

An abrupt schedule turnaround has helped the Dallas Cowboys put consecutive disappointing home efforts in the rearview, but the pressure has not lessened one bit. The Cowboys head to the East Coast, taking on the New York Giants in a pivotal Thursday night NFC East contest.

Little has been made about the Giants securing their first win a week ago and the potential for improvement with a revamped offensive line, a healthy Daniel Jones and a shining star rookie receiver in Malik Nabers.

Instead, the conversation has circulated around the Cowboys, navigating dire circumstances just three games into the season. But the heat they have experienced in the wake of their first two losses wanes in comparison to the potential alarm after a defeat that would send this group to a 1-3 record.

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has never shied from firing at the Cowboys in both positive and negative situations. Thursday, he piled onto that track record with a goofy ultimatum for "America's Team."

"You don't beat the New York Giants,'' the TV shock jock bellowed, "you really are trash."

But rather than venturing into nonsense about Cowboys fans, he took a turn to focus on the run stopping issues impacting this defense.

"(Devin) Singletary cannot run the football effectively,'' Smith said, suddenly faking his way through an X-and-O conversation. "If he does, the Giants are gonna win this game."

Frankly, the label "trash" is difficult to assign a team with such top-end talent. At the risk of putting too fine a point on in, it's also a level of "analysis'' CowboysCountry.com works to avoid. Why? Because people are not "trash'' - not even if they lose a football game.

But a 1-3 record with these porous numbers would identify as nothing short of devastating for this group.

Related: Cowboys Top 10 Takes at Giants: Back-Against-Wall Prediction

It is not the end of the season. Time remains for the Cowboys to start making necessary corrections. But they need to start using that time effectively against a team they have dominated in recent years (13 wins in the last 14 matchups).

Looking at a schedule, its a rough go for Dallas in the coming weeks. They face the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers, the vengeful Detroit Lions and the schoolyard bully San Francisco 49ers, meaning they should be best advised to handle the lone favorable challenge in their near future.

This is a prime opportunity for Dallas, not only to resolve some of their existing problems, but snag a road divisional win. Maybe Thursday not is not a "must win," but it is certainly a "need-t-have" for the Cowboys as they try to turn tonight from "trash'' to "treasure.''