ARLINGTON, Texas — There is no doubt beating the Cowboys in the way they did in last year’s season-opener — in the final seconds, reversing the terrible 2015 trend of blowing late leads — propelled the 2016 Giants into their season as positively and forcefully as possible. It ushered in the start of the Ben McAdoo era with a pronounced decree that things were different.
Except that McAdoo does not see it that way.
“No, that’s a little bit too much drama,’’ he said.
Drama and McAdoo are not akin to peanut butter and jelly. More like water and oil. No matter. The schedule-makers, with the blessing of the NFL office, realize how enticing Giants-Cowboys is, as this is the fifth time in the past six years this NFC East rivalry has kicked off the season. No sense building up momentum or manufacturing plotlines, this is in-your-face, immediate gratification.
“The hype, I hope it calms down eventually,’’ safety Landon Collins said, “but it probably will not.’’
No chance. Legal maneuverings allow Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott to play in this game, even as a six-game suspension for alleged domestic violence loomed over his head before getting an injunction Friday that will allow him to play during the court battle.
The Giants remain unsure about their own offensive star, Odell Beckham Jr., who is listed as questionable with a sprained left ankle that has not fully healed 18 days after the injury was sustained. It will be a game-time decision on Beckham, and even if he is uniform and on the field, he will not be operating at full strength.
This means an offense that clunked along last season with Beckham shredding opponents will have to find a way to exploit a suspect Cowboys defense, perhaps leaning on new, towering target Brandon Marshall and rookie tight end Evan Engram, with Eli Manning running the show behind the same offensive line that was so shaky in 2016.
“I believe that defensively, we believe we can win every game and hold teams to a low number of points — we have that type of confidence on defense,’’ McAdoo said. “Offensively, we’ve shown some signs of doing some good things, but whether Odell plays or not, that’s a medical decision. I have confidence in the offense to perform at a high level with or without him.’’
The Giants were 2-0 against the Cowboys last season, but the Cowboys won the NFC East. This opener could set the tone for what might be a changing of the guard in a division where last year’s champion is often this year’s also-ran.
“We didn’t win the division so we weren’t the best team,’’ cornerback Eli Apple said. “It’s a great matchup. They’re a great team, we’re a great team, should have a good game.’’
Marquee Matchup
Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott vs. Giants DT Damon “Snacks’’ Harrison
This, of course, is far from a one-on-one confrontation. Elliott is the reigning NFL rushing champion and Snacks is renowned as the best run-stuffing lineman in the league. So, the Cowboys will attempt move the massive Harrison off his spot and likely will need two blockers to budge the immovable 341-pound object wearing blue. Last season, the Giants limited Elliott to 158 yards and just 3.6 yards per carry in the two-game sweep of the Cowboys.
“We know about their all-world offensive line,’’ Harrison said. “Those guys do an excellent job of blocking the first-level defender. As a running back your dream is to make it past the first level and get to the second level and be able to show your playmaking abilities. I think they can have me at running back and I could do a pretty good job.’’
If the Cowboys have an all-world offensive line, do the Giants have an all-world defensive line?
“No man, we just have the New York Giants defensive line,’’ Harrison said.
Four Downs
Dak attack: In an Offensive Rookie of the Year season, Dak Prescott did virtually everything right, except when he played the Giants. Prescott threw just four interceptions in 2016 and two of them were picked off by the Giants. Prescott completed 51 percent of his passes on the Giants and 71 percent on the rest of the league. Prescott went 0-2 against the Giants and 13-1 vs. everyone else. Anow the Giants know him even better than before.
“Yes, it’s a better advantage,’’ safety Landon Collins said. “We’ve got film on him, we know what he likes to do, we know where his escape routes are and we know his concepts.’’
Figure Prescott has studied what went wrong and has a better understanding of what the Giants want to do to keep him under wraps.
“I mean, yeah, definitely not beating them adds motivation, it being game one to start a new 2017 season, you want it to come out the right way,’’ Prescott said. “That plays a big part in it.’’
Dez down the rabbit hole: It surely looks like a misprint. How in the world could Dez Bryant, in two games last season against the Giants, catch just two passes for 18 yards? Credit Janoris “Jackrabbit’’ Jenkins for turning the imposing Bryant into the Invisible Man. Jenkins has the quickness and makeup speed to deal with the bigger Bryant and, though he still likes to gamble, Jenkins is more disciplined now than he was with the Rams. In an offseason radio interview, Jackrabbit took some shots at Bryant, and there is no doubt Dez will be frothing at the mouth for payback.
“Dez can wreck a football game,’’ defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. “Rabbit can go out there and cover some people. I think it’ll be a great battle.’’
Kid kicker: Tom Quinn, the Giants’ special teams coordinator, never has gone into a season with a rookie kicker, until now. Aldrick Rosas won a summer battle with veteran Mike Nugent — icing the job with a last-second, game-winning 48-yard field goal in the preseason finale.
“Yeah, it was good for I think everyone to see,’’ Quinn said.
Giants-Cowboys almost always is close late. Rosas says he loves pressure-packed situations. The 22-year old could decide his first NFL game with his right leg.
Man for all seasons: When he steps onto the field, Eli Manning will make his 200th consecutive start for the Giants, a streak that began Nov. 21, 2004, when he took over for Kurt Warner and completed just 17 of 37 passes in a 14-10 loss to the Falcons at Giants Stadium. It is the longest starting streak among active players, and just Brett Favre (297) and big brother Peyton Manning (208) have longer ironman streaks, among quarterbacks. Eli keeps on ticking.
“Eli might be the best person to prepare for a game that I have ever been around, whether it is a player or a coach,’’ said coach Ben McAdoo, who worked with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.
Paul’s Pick
It always is close when these teams meet — pick a lopsided score at your own peril. This is not a stout Dallas defensive front. If the Giants’ offensive line cannot handle itself here, it is going to be a long season. Without Odell Beckham Jr. as a major contributor, Giants find a way.
Giants 24, Cowboys 20