‘Monday Night Football’ Was a Wake-Up Call for Some Bettors

Posted on: September 27, 2022, 07:15h. 

Last updated on: September 27, 2022, 05:26h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

Spoiler alert: Monday Night Football didn’t go the way most bettors thought it would. Those who poured in money to back the New York Giants ahead of the game weren’t happy with the end result.

Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb
Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb pulls in a TD against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. The Cowboys added a win as the underdogs to break the Giants’ stride. (Image: Associated Press)

The Cowboys took down the until-then undefeated Giants with a 23-16 win as Week 3 came to a close. Dallas added its second win in the NFC East, bringing their record to parity with the Giants. Most wagers backed the Giants to win a close game at home, according to reports.

The Cowboys’ defense stood out with five quarterback sacks, 27 pressures, and one interception. The offense has to be given credit, too, as quarterback Cooper Rush passed for 215 yards and scored a touchdown.

Despite their strong performance, Dallas got off to its increasingly common slow start in the matchup. The Cowboys came within three yards of the end zone on their second drive. But an offside penalty and a holding call forced them to settle for three points.

The defense put pressure on Giants QB Daniel Jones early in the second quarter. Dallas sacked him twice, the first by DeMarcus Lawrence and the second by Dorance Armstrong. This forced the Giants to go for a field goal to tie it.

‘Boys D to the Rescue

The Cowboys responded on the next drive with a 28-yard kick to regain the lead, 6-3. The third sack on Jones came late in the second quarter, thanks to the penetration again by Lawrence.

The aggressive treatment of Jones continued into the third quarter with two more sacks. Lawrence and Wilson proved too much for the Giants’ line. Once again, the Giants opted for a field goal to tie the game, 6-6.

All that time on the field wore down the Cowboys’ defense. The following drive showed it on a play: Saquon Barkley drilled down the middle of the line and scrambled 36 yards for the score to send the Giants up 13-6.

Offense Holds Its Own

The Dallas offense picked up when the defense needed a break. After the Giants captured the lead, Dallas responded with an offensive march down the field. They got deep inside the red zone and then allowed running back Ezekiel Elliott to punch it in. Once again, the score was tied, 13-13.

The Cowboys seized the moment. They regained control of the game thanks to a great touchdown catch by CeeDee Lamb that made it 20-13. Then, after the Giants couldn’t respond, the Cowboys extended their lead to 23-13 on a field goal with just five minutes remaining.

As the pressure mounted, the Giants had a chance to close the gap before settling for another field goal. It was now time for Jones to shine, as the offense had an opportunity to mount a game-winning drive.

It didn’t work, though, as the Cowboys’ defense stole the ball with a minute left. The Giants’ run was over, and so was the game. The underdogs took another NFL game, and the score came up just short of the 39 points most books had predicted.

The Giants host the Chicago Bears next Sunday, while the Cowboys shouldn’t have too much to worry about when they welcome the Washington Commanders.