Takeaways from the Giants’ 34-17 home victory over the Cowboys:
1. Seeing John Mara make his way down the elevator from the press box and walk into a cart to get through the lower levels of MetLife Stadium was a sobering reminder of the toll cancer treatments can take. Mara, 71, was joined by a large contingent of his family gathered in the locker room after the game. Interim head coach Mike Kafka gave Mara the game ball. Mara’s father, Wellington, enjoyed beating the Cowboys most of all — remember his famous “It’s nice to see arrogance humbled” after a victory over the Cowboys in 1996, a shot directed at Dallas owner Jerry Jones? After his Giants beat the Cowboys, John Mara was thrilled. “He mentioned he’s jogging to his treatments now because of this win,” tight end Daniel Bellinger said. This was how the Giants needed to bid adieu to the 2025 season. “He’s got to be the toughest guy in the locker room,” Bellinger said. “He’s resilient as a guy and we respect him as our leader, our owner and I was happy to see him get the game ball.”
2. There were unoccupied gray seats on all levels at MetLife Stadium and the usual strong contingent of Cowboys fans in the building. It was not the usual Dallas takeover, though, as the Cowboys a few weeks ago were eliminated from the playoffs. The stakes were not high but the emotions were. Beating the Cowboys always means something to the Giants and the fans not obsessed with 2026 draft picks. This series has been a one-sided mismatch, with the Cowboys winning nine straight and Dak Prescott winning 14 consecutive games against the Giants dating back to 2016. “That’s crazy,” Jaxson Dart said. “That’s good to snap, that’s for sure.” That this loss meant the Cowboys (7-9-1) finished with a losing record was satisfying to more than a few people employed by the Giants.
3. Out of all the ridiculousness of what went down this season at the position, have the Giants found a kicker? Rookie Ben Sauls arrived in early November and went 8-for-8 on field goals, becoming the first left-footer to appear in an NFL regular-season game since 2018 (Sebastian Janikowski). Sauls went 4-for-4 against the Cowboys. After Graham Gano, Jude McAtamney and Younghoe Koo all tried and failed in 2025, perhaps a 24-year old from the University of Pittsburgh and Tipp City, Ohio, is the answer. He should at the very least get a shot in 2026.
