Dallas Cowboys Finally Break Home Losing Streak with Thanksgiving Win Over Giants
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys gave their fans something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, snapping a nearly year-long home losing streak with a gritty 27-20 victory over the New York Giants. For a team that had gone 334 days without a win at AT&T Stadium, this was more than just a game—it was a statement.
“It was definitely overdue,” head coach Mike McCarthy admitted after the game. “It was important to get the win on a lot of fronts, but it was really important to get a home win.”
And overdue it was. The Cowboys’ last home victory came on Dec. 30, 2023, against the Detroit Lions. Since then, the team had endured six straight losses at AT&T Stadium, setting an NFL record by trailing by at least 20 points in all six games. For a franchise that once boasted a 16-game home winning streak—the second-longest in team history—this drought was a bitter pill to swallow.
Thanksgiving Redemption
Thursday’s win wasn’t just about breaking the streak; it was about avoiding a dubious place in Cowboys history. A loss would have marked the third 0-6 home start in franchise history, putting this year’s squad in the same conversation as the 1960 team that went 0-11-1 in the franchise’s inaugural season and the 1989 team that went 1-15 in Jerry Jones’ first year as owner.
“I hate it so much for our fans to have this run of losses when we’ve been so proud of our home winning streak,” Jones said. “So it’s good to get this win here at home.”
In a span of just five days, the Cowboys have turned their season around with back-to-back NFC East victories. After defeating the Washington Commanders 34-26 on Sunday, they followed it up with Thursday’s win over the Giants. It’s only the second time this season the Cowboys have strung together two consecutive wins, the first being in Weeks 4 and 5 against the Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Playoff Hopes Still Alive
At 5-7, the Cowboys are still on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff picture. However, with upcoming games against the 4-7 Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 9 and the 3-8 Carolina Panthers on Dec. 15, there’s a glimmer of hope.
“We feel a lot differently today than we did Saturday night going into Washington. That’s fair and accurate. It’s a good feeling,” McCarthy said. “This is where we deserve to be. We’ve had to fight to get here. We’re still in the valley of adversity. We’ve taken two steps forward, but we’ve still got a long ways to go. We recognize that.”
Key Performances
The Cowboys leaned heavily on their ground game to secure the win. Rico Dowdle became the team’s first 100-yard rusher since Tony Pollard accomplished the feat in Week 3 of last season. The 26-game drought without a 100-yard rusher was the longest in franchise history.
On the defensive side, the Cowboys dominated a depleted Giants offense led by third-string quarterback Drew Lock. The defense tied a season high with six sacks, and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown delivered the play of the game with a spectacular pick-six in the second quarter.
“I knew a play was coming and I’ve been told all week that play is coming,” Overshown said. “I didn’t know when it was coming, but it was coming. I was just playing football. [Saw] the ball, tipped it, and I was just praying the whole time that it stayed up. I was like, ‘Man, please let my speed, for once, be fast enough to get to this ball.’”
Injury Concerns Loom
While the win was a morale booster, it didn’t come without a cost. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb aggravated a right shoulder injury in the third quarter and did not return. Lamb, who has been battling a sprained AC joint since Nov. 3, has been a warrior for the Cowboys, but his health remains a concern.
Additionally, the Cowboys lost safety Juanyeh Thomas and cornerback Josh Butler to knee injuries. With 11 days until their next game, the team is hoping the extra rest will help key players recover.
“The rest might be the most important part of the schedule,” McCarthy said. “If you just look at what we’ve been dealing with, rest and recovery will really help us. The schedule is set up for our players to be on a bye week. They have some responsibility on Monday. We’ll do a later start on Wednesday. I do want them to get away, get their batteries charged and be ready to go.”
Looking Ahead
The Cowboys’ next challenge comes against a dangerous Bengals team featuring stars like Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins. Defensive leader Micah Parsons, who recorded 1.5 sacks on Thursday, knows the road ahead won’t be easy.
“Now my focus is heading to the Bengals, understanding how they’re going to attack us, who they got. They got some dudes,” Parsons said. “Hopefully we get D-Law [DeMarcus Lawrence] and maybe Trevon [Diggs] hopefully so we’re fully loaded and I know they’ll be fully loaded. I’m looking forward to that.”
For now, the Cowboys can savor this long-awaited home victory. But with a tough road ahead, they’ll need to keep building on this momentum if they hope to make a late-season playoff push.
Originally Written by: Todd Archer
