2019 NFL power rankings, Week 7: 49ers jump, Cowboys slump
. 1-4. Previous: . New York Jets. 28. team. 30
Recap: The Green and White had lost their first four games for the first time since 2003 as they hosted the Dallas Cowboys, who were mired in their own mini-skid. But Adam Gase’s club would open up a 21-3 second-quarter lead as returning quarterback Sam Darnold led the club to three offensive touchdowns – one more than New York managed in its first four outings this year. The Cowboys made things interesting in the second half but a field goal by Sam Ficken with less than four minutes to play proved to be the difference. Dallas would get a touchdown run by Dak Prescott with 43 seconds to play but the Jets’ defense fended off the game-tying two-point conversion try.
Next Week: Gase’s squad takes on the undefeated New England Patriots for the second time in a four-game span. Back in Week 3 at Foxborough, the Jets lost their seventh straight meeting in this setting via a rough 30-14 setback. Dating back to 2011, the Green and While owns a dismal 2-15 win-loss record in this longtime AFC East rivalry.
Playoff hopes: It would be extremely unfair to judge the start of this season when it comes to assessing the head coach’s performance. But lo and behold, the return of Sam Darnold proved to be quite the spark as the Green and White stunned the Cowboys on Sunday. Now can the team build on the win and stun the Pats on Monday night?
27. team. 31. . 2-4. Previous: . New York Giants
Recap: The last time the New York Giants visited Foxborough in the regular season (2011), the team knocked off the Patriots that day and eventually in Super Bowl XLVI. Now Pat Shumur’s undermanned squad took on the league’s lone 5-0 team with an opportunity to win for the third time in four games. Late in the first quarter, Riley Dixon had a punt blocked and returned six yards for a touchdown. The G-Men were down 14-0 in the second quarter but a Daniel Jones’ scoring toss to Golden Tate and a 44-yard return of a Tom Brady fumble for a touchdown would even things up. But the Giants were done scoring and New England eventually pulled away.
Next Week: Shurmur’s club host the Arizona Cardinals as these one-time NFC East rivals meet for only the fourth time in nine seasons. The Giants host this series for the first time 2014, when Arizona traveled across the country and handed New York a 25-14 setback. The Cards also won the teams’ last meeting, 23-0, at home two years ago.
Playoff hopes: The Giants looked completely overmatched in the losses to the Vikings and Patriots. Yes, Shurmur’s undermanned offense did make it interesting for a half at Foxborough. But the club’s issues on the defensive side of the ball are hard to ignore. New York’s offense and special teams can’t afford to consistently make mistakes.
Next: Nos. 26 and 25