EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Dallas Cowboys ran 18 times for 69 yards through the middle of the fourth quarter Sunday night at MetLife Stadium, an average of 3.8. The New York Giants carried 27 times for 142 and averaged 5.3.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said at halftime on NBC that the Cowboys had to “do a better job running the ball, stopping the run.”
New York picked up 10 first downs on the ground. Dallas picked up 4.
T.J. Bass Starts At Left Guard For Tyler Smith
Left guard Tyler Smith went on injured reserve Wednesday after surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb. The designation keeps him out four games, and the earliest he can play is Oct. 8 against Tampa Bay.
T.J. Bass started in his place, with 10 career starts behind him and 5 of those last season.
Schottenheimer said last week that the Cowboys trust Bass and pointed to the second-round tender they put on him in March as the evidence.
“Tyler Smith’s a great player, but we feel really confident in T.J., and he’s put great film on here,” Schottenheimer said.
“We tendered him the way we tendered him because we trust this guy as a football player,” Schottenheimer continued.
The Cowboys’ Backfield Two Days Before Kickoff
Running back Malik Davis went on season-ending injured reserve Saturday after hip surgery. He had won the backup job in a competition that ran most of August.
That moved Emari Demercado in behind Javonte Williams. Dallas signed Israel Abanikanda off the practice squad to take the roster spot, and he was inactive Sunday.
Williams scored on a 1-yard run with 42 seconds left in the third quarter. Dallas’ longest carry of the night went 10 yards.
Cam Skattebo ran 3 yards for the game’s first touchdown with 6:46 left in the opening quarter, and the Giants’ longest run covered 22.
Dallas had 185 total yards on 43 plays. New York had 317 on 51 and held the ball for 27:43 to Dallas’ 21:15. The Cowboys caused 4 fumbles, recovered 1, and recorded 2 sacks while trailing 21-14.
Dallas hosts the Washington Commanders in the home opener Sunday at AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:25 p.m. CT on FOX.
