The Dallas Cowboys defeated the New York Giants 27-20 at AT&T Stadium on Thanksgiving day.
Micah Parsons‘ presence has obviously been huge for a unit that's struggled for much of the year, as the Cowboys defense was excellent for most of the contest, forcing two turnovers while holding the Giants to just 10 points through the first three quarters.
In games without Parsons, the Cowboys defense has allowed 0.158 EPA; however, in games with the three-time All-Pro, Dallas has lowered that to just 0.024 EPA per play. It's especially notable in the pass-rush department, as the Cowboys have posted a 44.2% pass-rush win rate, a 32% pressure rate and a 24.4 pass-rushing productivity score in games without Parsons while recording a 46.4% pass-rush win rate, a 38.2% pressure rate and a 30.3 pass-rushing productivity score.
On Thanksgiving, Parsons recorded yet another two-sack day, but he wasn't the only Cowboys defender to thrive against the division rival. DeMarvion Overshown (four total stops, interception, fumble recovery) also impressed, especially when he tipped a Drew Lock pass to himself for an interception that he returned for a touchdown when the game was still close. Additionally, Eric Kendricks (two stops, a sack and a forced fumble), Jourdan Lewis (two stops while only allowing two receptions from four targets for zero yards) and notably Mazi Smith (one stop while consistently re-setting the line of scrimmage and putting the Cowboys linebackers in position to make plays) put together notable performances to round out the Cowboys defense's impressive day.
PFF's dedicated team of graders was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. The grades and data will be available after a thorough review tomorrow at 12 p.m. EST.
In the meantime, we’ve gathered some high-level data and snap counts from the game to give you an early look. Our expert graders have also nominated the standout player of the game, highlighting exceptional performance on the field.
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HIGHEST-GRADED PLAYERS
- LB Bobby Okereke, New York Giants (82.6)
- EDGE Brian Burns, New York Giants (82.3)
- DI Mazi Smith, Dallas Cowboys (79.9)
Note: Follow along with PFF's in-game grading as our analysts evaluate every player on every play in real time! Grades will then be relocked 90 minutes after the final whistle as our first-run analysis is reviewed.
Click here to see PFF's initial grades from this game!
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Coming off a torn ACL, DeMarvion Overshown has been one of the few bright spots for a Cowboys defense that struggled for most of the year. On Thanksgiving, the Dallas defense was actually able to put together a strong performance, and Overshown was one of the main reasons why.
Not only was his pick-six impressive, as it proved to be the difference in Dallas' seven-point victory, but Overshown consistently flew around the field, making his presence felt both against the run and pass. In total, Overshown accumulated a team-high four stops to go along with his pick-six and a fumble recovery. Against the run, in particular, Overshown finished with a 2.67-yard average depth of tackle, illustrating his ability to nullify New York's rushing attack throughout Thursday's contest.
ADVANCED BOX SCORE
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