Cowboys scare off a black cat, and then the Giants

Dak Prescott and the Cowboys scare off a black cat, and then the Giants

Cowboys receiver Michael Gallup flips over the goal line for a touchdown against the Giants during the fourth quarter of a game at MetLife Stadium.

By Associated Press

Associated Press

Nov. 4, 2019 8:45 PM PT

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Dak Prescott shook off an interception on his first pass of the game and threw three touchdown passes, leading the Dallas Cowboys to a 37-18 victory over the New York Giants in a Monday night game briefly delayed by an elusive black cat.

Prescott hit Blake Jarwin for a much-needed 42-yard touchdown late in the second quarter. He added a 15-yarder to Michael Gallup and a 45-yarder to Amari Cooper in the fourth as Dallas (5-3) beat New York (2-7) for the sixth straight time.

Brett Maher kicked three field goals, including a 52-yarder in the waning seconds of the first half that gave Dallas the lead for good after falling behind 12-3 in the second quarter. Jourdan Lewis scored on a 63-yard fumble return in the final seconds.

The win gave the Cowboys, who were coming off a bye, a half-game lead over Philadelphia in the NFC East and improved their record in the division to 4-0, including a win over the Eagles.

Ezekiel Elliott ran for 139 yards for Dallas, which outscored the Giants 34-9 after the cat appeared late in the second quarter, forcing referee Clay Martin to delay the game for a couple of minutes until the feline was herded up a stadium tunnel.

Daniel Jones threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Cody Latimer for fading New York. Aldrick Rosas hit four field goals, but he also missed an extra point attempt that was important in sending New York to its fifth straight loss.

Rosas’ 25-yarder gave the Giants a 12-3 lead with 2:50 left, but the Cowboys scored 10 points in the final 52 seconds of the half to take a 13-12 lead.

Jarwin, who has scored five of his six career touchdowns against the Giants, rambled most of the 42 yards on the score to get Dallas within 12-10 with :52 left in the half.

Xavier Woods intercepted a third-down pass by Jones on the ensuing series and returned it to the Giants 38, setting up Maher’s go-ahead field goal on the final play.

The teams exchanged field goals in the third quarter, with a Jones fumble forced by Woods setting up Dallas. Rosas answered for New York.

The chippy fourth quarter belonged to Dallas and Prescott, who finished 22 of 35 for 257 yards. He has thrown for 12 TDs against New York in the last four games.

Jones finished 26 of 41 for 210 yards, with most coming on a 65-yard play by Saquon Barkley, his longest reception.

Worth noting

Jones has dropped five in a row after winning his first two starts. The only other rookie quarterback who lost five in a row after winning his first two starts was John Elway in 1983, according to Stats .