The Cowboys will face the Giants in Week 18, bringing down the curtain on Brian Schottenheimer's first year as head coach.
One game. That's all the Dallas Cowboys have left in the season, with the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium, the last action for Brian Schottenheimer's team before the offseason.
With the Cowboys banged up and multiple starters already out, along with a host who will be used sparingly at MetLife (hello, Mr. Prescott), this game has a preseason-type feel.
At 7-8-1, the Cowboys' season has been good, but there is one last chance for the franchise to get a win and build momentum heading into the offseason.
But how does Schotty's team do that against the 3-13 Giants with a team expected to be heavily rotated?
By doing these five things.
1 - Eberflus' defense take advantage of Giants turnovers
Dallas only has one turnover in its last five games, so Eberflus' team doesn't take the ball away, but with Jaxson Dart and the Giants' offense, they give it away.
In their last seven games, turnovers in all but one game suggest that this struggling Dallas defense has a chance to get a turnover or two.
This is the last chance for Eberflus' defense to show something before what we think will be an inevitable separation.
2 - Protect Dak Prescott/Joe Milton
We expect Dak to play, but not much. Still, it is imperative to keep No. 4 clean, which might be hard with no Javonte Williams and a reshuffled offensive line.
The same goes for Joe Milton. Yes, his physical attributes can get him out of a bind, but the Giants possess a good defensive front that has 39 sacks on the year, which includes eight in its last two games.
Protect Dak for however long he is in the game, and for Milton, give him time to showcase his ability.
3 - Fix second-half offensive issues
Just 15 points have been scored by the offense in the second half of the last three games. That's six quarters.
With Milton likely to be in at quarterback at this time, can the offense, which will have a mixed and matched unit, manage to put up points against a Giants defense that has only given up 16 and 10 points in the last two weeks?
If Schotty wants to go 5-1 in the division, they'll have to.
4 - Lean on Dine and Dash 2.0
This is what I am most looking forward to. A tandem of Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah.
This will be Blue's first taste of action since Week 8 and Mafah's first all year.
With a banged-up offensive line and CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens not likely to play too much, let's see what this rookie tandem can do.
New York's defense has given up 100+ rushing yards in all but two games this season.
This game could either give hope for the duo in 2026 or pose more questions.
5 - Role players step up
This is as much as a 2026 audition as it is anything else for a host of players.
We mentioned Blue and Mafah, but what about others like Brevyn Spann-Ford, Jonathan Mingo, Ryan Flournoy, Jalen Tolbert, Hunter Luepke, Nate Thomas, and Hakeem Adeniji?
Most will get a sizeable snap count we imagine, so they've got to make the most of it.
It could be Tolbert's last game, while for Blue, Mafah, Mingo, Flo, Thomas, and Adeniji, it's a chance to put some good things on tape for 2026.
Defensively, Shemar James, Trikweze Bridges, Corey Ballentine, Alijah Clark, Jay Toia, and others will likely be rotated through as well.
Yes, it's a meaningless Week 18 game, but for these players, it's a 2026 audition.