The Cowboys eventually edged out the Giants in Week 2, 40-37 in overtime, no debate there. But that slow start, especially on the ground, had Cowboys Nation bracing for a 0-2 nightmare. The signs were obvious: Dallas’ run game was stalling. Of course, Javonte Williams led the ground game, but there’s no denying that the run game, as HC Brian Schottenheimer would say, wasn’t pleasing. The culprit? The offensive line.

The O-line struggled in pass protection, putting QB Dak Prescott under constant pressure and killing any rhythm for the run game. By halftime, the Giants were up 13-10, and the first-year head coach, Schottenheimer, needed to make adjustments, and he sure did. After the game, Coach Schottenheimer appeared in front of the media and addressed how the offense flipped in the second half.

“I felt like we got the running game going,” the HC said. “You know, we weren’t very pleased with the run game. We challenged them at halftime. Matter of fact, called out a couple of the guys, and Tyler Booker took exception, which is great. I love that kid, man. He just loves to play football. He loves to push people.” Translation? Schottenheimer called out the offensive line, including first-rounder Tyler Booker.

And Booker didn’t take it lightly. The No. 12 overall pick of the most recent draft fired back and responded with extra determination. The result? The Cowboys’ run game came alive in the second half. While the Giants were able to get Prescott a few times, the Cowboys’ run game eventually improved when it mattered the most. Leading the chorus was Javonte Williams.

The veteran running back fell just three yards shy of putting 100 yards on the ground. Williams, along with Miles Sanders, finished the game with one rushing touchdown each. By the final whistle, the Cowboys’ run game flipped the script, racking up 135 yards on the ground compared to the Giants’ 84, thanks to Schottenheimer calling out his O-line, especially Booker.

“So, when Javonte Williams had the touchdown, he (Booker) came over and, with a little expletive, said, How you like that? And I was like, I like it a lot. Let’s go do it again,” the HC added. The rookie fired back at Schottenheimer. It wasn’t in anger, but showing the coach the job is done as the coach expected.

But it wasn’t just their running game that saw an improvement in the second half, if we are being real.

Brian Schottenheimer’s team also improved its passing game

There were plenty of reasons the Cowboys pulled off that Week 2 win over the Giants—Brandon Aubrey’s heroics, Brian Schottenheimer making the right adjustments at halftime, and the running game stepping up when it mattered most. And if we’re being real, the real story was the fourth quarter—it turned Dallas’ passing game from shaky to downright unstoppable.

Trailing 13-10 at halftime, Dallas mounted a strong comeback behind Dak Prescott’s transformed performance. The quarterback completed 38 of 52 passes for 361 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, looking like a completely different player after the break. Prescott’s rally helped the Cowboys score 20 fourth-quarter points, matching the Giants’ 21 total points for the game and keeping the contest competitive until the final moments. The dramatic turnaround showcased Dallas’s resilience despite the early deficit.

Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb extended his impressive streak with another 100-yard performance, finishing with 112 yards to make it four consecutive games dating back to last season. WR George Pickens provided the game’s decisive moment, catching a touchdown with under a minute remaining in regulation. The victory marked Dallas’s ninth consecutive win over New York, extending the NFL’s longest active divisional rivalry streak. Now 1-1 after their Week 2 performance, the Cowboys will carry this momentum into their Week 3 matchup against the Bears.