The last Giants defensive coordinator to get the best of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott for a full game was Steve Spagnuolo.
Yes, it’s been a long time.
In the 3,561 days since Dec. 11, 2016, when Prescott threw two interceptions in a 10-7 loss at MetLife Stadium…
… Spagnuolo was promoted to Giants interim head coach for a four-game stint and has gone to five Super Bowls as Chiefs defensive coordinator.
… Prescott has thrown 223 touchdown passes and put together a record 14-game winning streak against the Giants, which ended on a technicality last season when he was pulled at halftime of a meaningless Week 18 loss.
…. Defensive coordinators James Bettcher, Patrick Graham, Wink Martindale and Shane Bowen all haven’t had enough answers for Prescott.
The next coordinator in line is Dennard Wilson, who will be making his Giants debut Sunday. And he knows the challenge Prescott poses.
“He’s a top quarterback in the NFL,” Wilson said. “He’s seen it all. He’s very decisive with where he’s going with the ball, he gets the ball out of his hands quick. They have elite receivers … and their tight ends are good. So, they have weapons, both on the outside and inside.”
But Wilson doesn’t care about Giants-Cowboys history.
“We’re going to be unapologetic on how we play,” he said. “We’re going to be decisive in what we do. We’re going to play with an edge. We’re going to play with toughness. We’re going to bring violence. That’s our M.O. That’s how the guys have been going out — doing their work every day, their daily business. And that’s how we’re going to play.”
There already is some chirping between cornerback Greg Newsome and Cowboys receiver George Pickens, who have bad blood dating to opposite sides of the Browns-Steelers rivalry in 2024. After Newsome said the Giants have “the best cornerback room in the league,” Pickens applauded Newsome’s confidence but said “we’re definitely not thinking the same thing.”
Pickens is coming off a breakout 1,429-yard season in his first year playing with Prescott.
“He’s a matchup problem one-on-one,” Wilson said. “He can catch the contested football down the air. So, he’s always been a really good player.”
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Prescott recognizes these aren’t the same Giants that he has picked apart for years, compiling a 101.5 quarterback rating with 31 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has been sacked only 18 times on 574 dropbacks.
The difference starts with head coach John Harbaugh.
“He’s obviously coached a lot of winning teams,” Prescott said after Thursday’s practice. “To me, you expect the game to go into the fourth quarter. That’s kind of our message: You can’t win it in those first three, so be ready and do whatever it takes to go get it in the fourth. Any time you’re playing a good coach like that and his winning history, you’ve got to be ready for it.”
