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The Dallas Cowboys were on a four game winning streak and headed into what looked to be an easy win against Arizona. The New York Giants had lost three straight and looked like they would drop a fourth to drop two spots below Dallas in the NFC East. By the time Dec. 4 ended, Dallas had lost to Arizona in overtime while New York fell to the undefeated Green Bay Packers.
Now, the Sunday night football game in Week 14 between Dallas and New York will determine, for one week at least, the NFC East leader. Dallas had the chance to create separation between them and the Giants and failed to do it against the Cardinals. Meanwhile, the Giants gave the Packers their toughest game of the season.
Despite a four-game losing streak for the Giants and a Dallas team that has won four of their last five, it seems like New York is coming into Dallas with the advantage.
On Nov. 13, Dallas blew out the Buffalo Bills 44-7. After that they beat Washington (4-8) in overtime, Miami (4-8) on a last second field goal and then lost to Arizona (5-7) in overtime. Now, optimistic fans can say Dallas hit teams who were on hot streaks.
Arizona had won three of four heading into Dallas including a win over Philadelphia. Miami was on a three-game winning streak and just knocked off Oakland to make it three of four, Dallas their only loss. Washington was a hated rival and records rarely matter when playing each other. But those are excuses.
The New York Giants need no excuses. In their last five games, they beat New England (9-3) before losing four straight to San Francisco (10-2), Philadelphia (4-8), New Orleans (9-3) and Green Bay (12-0). If you call Washington a rival game for Dallas you have to do the same for Philadelphia and the Giants. The other three losses were to division winners.
Dallas has struggled to beat hot teams who are also-ran's in the NFL. The Giants have lost to divisional winners and the Saints were the only bad loss of the bunch. New York is tested and ready to retake the NFC East. Dallas has a lot of work to do if they want to overcome these sleeping Giants.
Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys' fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys' related news, good or bad
Source: Yahoo! Sports
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