In a game packed with playoff implications and divisional pride, the Dallas Cowboys leaned on their defense and ground game to secure a critical 27-20 Thanksgiving Day victory over the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown’s electrifying pick-6 shifted the tide and injected life into a Dallas team fighting to keep its postseason hopes alive without franchise quarterback Dak Prescott.
Overshown’s pivotal play came midway through the second quarter with the Cowboys trailing 7-6. Giants quarterback Drew Lock, starting in place of the injured Tommy DeVito, attempted a screen pass to running back Devin Singletary. But Overshown, demonstrating exceptional awareness and speed, tipped the ball into the air, sprinted to intercept it, and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown. The play gave Dallas a lead it would not relinquish, marking a turning point in a season marred by inconsistency.
“I wasn’t sure if I could get there in time, but once I saw the ball, I just went for it,” Overshown said. “It feels great to contribute in a big way, especially on a day like this.”
The Cowboys’ defense continued to apply pressure, with Overshown recovering a Lock fumble on the opening drive of the second half. That turnover set up quarterback Cooper Rush’s 2-yard touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks, extending the Cowboys’ lead to 20-7.
Running back Rico Dowdle added another layer to Dallas’ resurgence, recording his first career 100-yard rushing game. Dowdle’s 112-yard performance included a crucial 15-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, providing the Cowboys with much-needed offensive stability.
“Rico was phenomenal today,” said Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy. “He ran with power, made smart decisions, and gave us the balance we needed.”
Rush, filling in for the injured Prescott, played efficiently, completing 14 of 22 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown. The Cowboys’ offensive strategy leaned heavily on the running game and opportunistic defense, a formula that helped them snap a six-game home losing streak dating back to last season’s wild-card loss to Green Bay.
For the Giants, the loss marked their seventh consecutive defeat and officially eliminated them from playoff contention. Lock, who stepped in after the release of Daniel Jones, showed flashes of potential, rushing for 57 yards and a late touchdown. However, his two turnovers, including the costly pick-6, proved too much for the Giants to overcome.
New York briefly led 7-6 in the second quarter, their first lead since Week 5, but failed to capitalize on the momentum. The Giants have now lost eight straight games to their NFC East rival.
“We had chances, but turnovers killed us,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll said. “You can’t win games making those kinds of mistakes, especially against a team like Dallas.”
The Cowboys (5-7) have now won two straight games after a five-game losing streak, but their path to a fourth consecutive playoff appearance remains daunting. With Prescott sidelined due to a hamstring injury suffered in Week 9, the team will rely on Rush and a revitalized defense to navigate the remaining schedule.
“This was a must-win for us,” McCarthy said. “We’re still in a hole, but if we keep fighting like we did today, we’ll give ourselves a chance.”
For Overshown, the spotlight has never been brighter. His game-changing performance on Thanksgiving may serve as the catalyst for a Cowboys team desperately seeking to keep its playoff dreams alive.
