The New York Giants’ 2025 season will conclude this Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. This year has been a nightmare for Big Blue as they suffered through a nine-game losing streak, fired three coaches (Brian Daboll, Shane Bowen, Bryan Cox), and lost Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo to season-ending injuries.
As bad as this year has been, the team does have a chance to put an end to their nine-game losing streak to the Cowboys and defeat Dak Prescott for the first time since 2016. Some fans may prefer New York losses so they can have the second overall pick in the draft. But no one in the Giants organization has that mindset.
Here are five players who need to dominate on Sunday for New York to finally beat Dallas.
Jaxson Dart
If the Giants had a better record and Dart had not missed two games due to a concussion, he would be in consideration for Offensive Rookie of the Year. He has 22 total touchdowns to just five interceptions and has brought a swagger to the offense that has been missing.
Sunday will be his first start against Dallas, and if the team is ever to turn things around, they need to beat their division rivals. New York hasn’t won against Dallas since the season finale of the 2020 season, and has beaten Dak Prescott since his rookie season in 2016.
If Dart can scorch the Cowboys’ 30th-ranked defense and get a win, it could be a sign that the momentum in this rivalry is finally shifting.
Brian Burns
At 27 years old, Brian Burns is having the best season of his career, as he has a career-high 16.5 sacks, which ties him with Jason Pierre-Paul for the fourth most sacks in a single season by a Giant.
He would like nothing more than to add to his sack total to break his tie with JPP and help his team win by sacking Dak Prescott numerous times. The Cowboys’ offensive line gave up six sacks last week to the Commanders, and they don’t have a pass rusher who has performed at an elite level the way Burns has played this year.
The Cowboys’ offensive line is dealing with injuries as guard T.J. Bass did not practice on Wednesday, and Tyler Smith was limited in practice. Burns could be in store for one of his best games of the season on Sunday.
Abdul Carter
Abdul Carter has been on an absolute tear the last month of the season. He’s recorded at least half a sack in the last four games and has been a disruptive force for offensive linemen to deal with. When these two teams met in Week 2, Carter only recorded one tackle and did not have a quarterback hit.
The rookie edge rusher will look to make his first major impact in this division rivalry by making plays all across the field. If he’s a non-factor as he was in the first matchup, Dallas’s number one-ranked offense will once again overwhelm New York’s defense and sweep the season series for the fifth year in a row.
Wan’Dale Robinson
With his 11 catches for 113 yards performance against the Raiders in Week 17, Robinson has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards (1,014) for the first time in his career. He has been the most reliable offensive weapon this year, in the wake of Malik Nabers tearing his ACL in Week 4.
Robinson will become a free agent, and there’s uncertainty if he’ll return to the team despite the rapport he’s built with Dart. Robinson did not participate in Wednesday’s practice due to a hip injury, but the belief is he will suit up on Sunday in what could be his final game as a Giant.
He could be in store for another huge game against a Cowboys pass defense, which is ranked dead last in the NFL.
Marcus Mbow
With Andrew Thomas on IR, Mbow will be the starting left tackle on Sunday. The fifth-round pick has played well this year whenever he’s been called upon, and interim head coach Mike Kafka praised him this week.
“Marcus has done a great job. He’s holding his own on the edge. He’s doing a nice job in the run game.”
Mbow has also played right tackle this year, and with starting right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor a pending free agent, all eyes will be on Mbow to see how he performs against the Cowboys’ edge rushers. If the rookie offensive lineman does more than hold his own and keep Dart upright, the team might let Eluemunor leave in free agency and have Mbow as their starting right tackle in 2026.
