Unforgettable Cowboys Win: Setting Franchise History with 40-0 Victory – Leaving ‘No Doubt’

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Micah Parsons remains unsurprised by the Dallas Cowboys’ remarkable 40-0 victory over the New York Giants on Sunday.

“Without a doubt in my mind,” declares Parsons confidently. “I could see it coming from a mile away. I was already envisioning our arrival in New York. When preparation aligns with execution, I believe there’s no one who can surpass us.”

Among the notable accomplishments on Sunday:

* It marked the largest shutout win in the history of the franchise, surpassing their previous record of 38-0 against the Baltimore Colts in 1978.

* It stands as the second-largest margin of victory in the 122 matchups between the Cowboys and the Giants. The Cowboys’ highest-scoring victory over the Giants occurred in 1966, with a 56-7 win. And in 1995, the Cowboys showcased their dominance with a 35-0 victory.

* The Cowboys now join an elite group of five teams who have opened their season with a 40-plus point shutout on the road, as reported by ESPN Stats & Information. The last instance of such dominance occurred in 1999 when the Pittsburgh Steelers triumphed over the Cleveland Browns with a 43-0 victory.

* The Cowboys relentlessly sacked Daniel Jones seven times, marking the most sacks by a Dallas defense in a season opener since their nine sacks in 1994.

* Tony Pollard, the Cowboys’ running back, became the fifth player in the past 50 years to score multiple rushing touchdowns in a season opener. He is the first Cowboy to achieve this feat since Marion Barber in 2008.

While the 1978 Cowboys lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XIII, the 1966 Cowboys reached the NFL Championship Game, only to be defeated by the Green Bay Packers. The 1995 Cowboys emerged victorious and claimed Super Bowl XXX. And the 1994 Cowboys made it to the NFC Championship Game.

The Cowboys have their eyes set on making it to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1995 as they commence the 2023 season.

“Yes, it’s just one win and the beginning of the season, but it definitely sends a message to the league that we’re a force to be reckoned with,” declared defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence. “But we still have a lot of work to do.”

The Cowboys’ success on Sunday was largely propelled by their special teams and defense. Noah Igbinoghene returned a blocked field goal attempt by Juanyeh Thomas for a touchdown on New York’s opening possession, followed by DaRon Bland returning an interception thrown by Jones for another score after a hard hit on Saquon Barkley.

“From that moment, we sucked the life out of them,” stated Parsons, who was one of five Cowboys defenders with at least one sack.

After gaining 38 yards on their first drive, the Giants failed to gain more than that on any of their remaining 11 drives and even had three drives that resulted in negative yardage.

“The defense was relentless,” remarked coach Mike McCarthy, securing his first season-opening win as the Cowboys’ coach after four attempts.

With this victory, Dak Prescott extended his winning streak against the Giants to 11 games; he has not lost to the Giants since his rookie year in 2016. In the 1970s, Hall of Famer Roger Staubach also enjoyed an 11-game win streak against New York. Since the 1970 merger, only Tom Brady has had a longer win streak against a divisional opponent, winning 13 straight games against the Buffalo Bills from December 27, 2003, to December 26, 2010. Patrick Mahomes currently holds an 11-game win streak for the Kansas City Chiefs against the Denver Broncos.

However, Prescott remains grounded and refuses to view this win as a statement.

“That’s the job of you guys to write whatever statement needs to be made,” Prescott responded. “For us, it’s about remaining focused, showing discipline, not just during these four quarters, but carrying that discipline into our preparation and moving forward to next week as we face another New York team, a formidable opponent.

“This is the NFL. We have to show up week in and week out, prepared. Wins like this are rare, and we won’t let it get to our heads.”