Bad Weather in New York? Prescott, Pollard & Cowboys 3 to Watch at Giants
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - At long last, the Dallas Cowboys are set to open the regular season as they prepare to face off against their division rivals, the New York Giants on Sunday night at 7:20 p.m. CT from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. ... and there are key players involved, as well as a key weather report ...
As midday here in the New York area, it's 78 with heavy rain. ... and yes, tonight the weather could be an issue. The storms might not let up much before kickoff on Sunday evening, with a 30 percent chance of them continuing into the night.
So ... which Dallas Cowboys need to play well on what might be a slippery and wet field?
Though many of Dallas’ most notables are expected to garner some attention during this upcoming matchup, here are three players that might raise an eyebrow when the Cowboys take the field against the Giants.
Dak Prescott
The start of a new season means most eyes will be on the quarterback position. Prescott is looking to bounce back after a rough 2022 campaign in which he missed five games due to injury, while leading the NFL with 15 interceptions. Still, he completed 66.2 percent of his passes for 2,860 yards and 23 touchdowns.
While Prescott is always a threat to extend plays with his legs, expect him to test a Giants secondary with a great deal of versatile talent. With speedy Brandin Cooks to help take some of the pressure off of top wideout CeeDee Lamb, Prescott should be able to reduce some of his low-percentage misses from one year ago.
(Special to the Star-Telegram/Jim Cowsert)
Tony Pollard
Following the departure of two-time All Pro Ezekiel Elliott, Pollard has become the undisputed top running back in the Cowboys’ stable. After successfully recovering from offseason ankle surgery, the 26-year-old is eager to showcase his abilities as a feature back. Still, he will remain equally dangerous option in the Cowboys ground game. In fact, he may be even more of a threat than Elliott. ... and that might matter as much as ever when Dallas plays at New York on Sunday night.
Pollard carried the ball 193 times for 1,007 yards and nine touchdowns last season. However, the ex-Memphis Tiger is also well-versed as a receiver, having hauled in 39 passes for 371 yards and three touchdowns. Utilizing his abilities as a dual-threat against a hungry Giants defense may be just the spark the Cowboys need to kick their offensive output into high gear.
Said Pollard: "I've been ready for this moment. The time is now."
Stephon Gilmore
Despite being the elder statesman in Dallas’ positional grouping at cornerback, Gilmore is still capable of locking down his side of the field opposite top corner Trevon Diggs. The 32-year-old finished last season having compiled 66 total tackles, 11 passes-defensed and two interceptions for the Indianapolis Colts. In securing his services via trade this offseason, Dallas hoped to be acquiring a player to draw some attention from opposing offenses.
As such, it would allow Diggs greater freedom to pursue the football. While Giants quarterback Daniel Jones may be tempted to test 32-year-old legs, expect Gilmore to see time matching up with receivers Isaiah Hodgens and Darius Slayton. ... all the while trying to keep his feet, along with the guys on both teams.
