Overshown’s flashy pick-6 boosts Cowboys in 27-20 Thanksgiving win over Giants
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — DeMarvion Overshown wasn’t sure he could run down the pass he tipped and turn it into an interception for a touchdown.
The Dallas linebacker pulled it off, and now the chase is on for the Cowboys to try to dig out of a deep hole in pursuit of a fourth consecutive playoff trip, this time without franchise quarterback Dak Prescott.
Overshown’s dynamic pick-6 from 23 yards put Dallas in front for good, Rico Dowdle ran for a score in his first career 100-yard game and the Cowboys held on for a 27-20 Thanksgiving Day victory over the New York Giants.
Cooper Rush threw a TD pass, and Dowdle finished with 112 yards Thursday as the Cowboys (5-7) ended a six-game home losing streak going back to a wild-card playoff loss to Green Bay last season.
Dallas has consecutive victories coming off a five-game losing streak but still plenty of work ahead to get back in the postseason picture. Prescott tore a hamstring in Week 9 of what was already a reeling season.
“We just needed that one last week, kind of get the ball rolling, felt that victory feeling in the locker postgame last week,” Rush said of the wild 34-26 victory at Washington. “Everything’s kind of coming together, feeling good about it.”
Drew Lock, who started in place of the injured Tommy DeVito a week after the benching and subsequent release of Daniel Jones, lost a fumble following Overshown’s pick-6 in a seventh consecutive loss for the Giants (2-10).
Lock ran for 57 yards and a touchdown that ended up being too late to avoid New York’s eighth consecutive loss to its NFC East rival as the Giants were eliminated from playoff contention.
“This is one of my first times to be able to come in and play a full game with these guys and show them what I can do,” Lock said. “Minus the turnovers and a few things, it was up and down. Some good. Some bad.”
The Giants had their first lead since Week 5 before Overshown put the Cowboys back in front after they had led for just 2 minutes, 15 seconds during their six-game skid at AT&T Stadium.
Leading 7-6, Lock tried to flip a screen pass to Devin Singletary after the running back had been overpowered trying to block Overshown.
The second-year linebacker ended up between Lock and Singletary, tipped the pass into the air toward the end zone, used his speed to run it down and scored untouched.
“I was thinking, ‘Hey, this is a good time to have those afterburners going,’” said Overshown, who missed his rookie season with a knee injury. “I was able to kick in some nitrous, and we were dancing in the end zone after that.”
Overshown also recovered Lock’s fumble on the opening possession of the second half to set up Rush’s 2-yard TD pass to Brandin Cooks.
He deposited that ball into one of the oversized Salvation Army red kettles made famous by Ezekiel Elliott nearly a decade ago and isn’t sure what happened to it. The TD ball might go to his son.
“Before the game, I was telling myself that around this time last year, I was just waiting to show people my testimony,” Overshown said. “Just being out there on the field healthy is all I can ask for.”
Rush — now 2-2 as the starter filling in for Prescott this season, and 7-3 for his career — threw the scoring pass to Cooks the play after the quarterback’s apparent fumble into the end zone was overturned on review.
Cooks, who had a diving first-down catch in the final two minutes to clinch the victory, was playing for the first time since Dallas’ 20-15 victory over the Giants in Week 4. He ended up with an infected knee after getting an injection in New York the day after that Dallas win.
Dowdle had 46 yards rushing in the first quarter after his longest carry of the season, a 22-yarder. The Dallas offense bogged down after two efficient drives, but a suddenly opportunistic defense kept the Cowboys in front.
Lock had a 28-yard scramble to set up the first New York touchdown and another 21-yarder before his 8-yard TD with 2:18 remaining. But he was sacked six times.
“I don’t like the results,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said. “Nobody likes the results. But again, I have confidence in the people. Just got to do better.”
Giants: Standout DT Dexter Lawrence said he dislocated his elbow in the second half. ... DL D.J. Davidson injured a shoulder in the first half.
Cowboys: Special teamer Juanyeh Thomas was carted off with a right knee injury in the first half and didn’t return. ... CB Josh Butler also didn’t return after injuring a knee. ... Rookie LT Tyler Guyton said left in the first half with ankle and knee injuries and was replaced by Chuma Edoga, who made his season debut. Guyton said he has a high ankle sprain.
Giants: New Orleans at home Dec. 8.
Cowboys: The mini-break plus a day before Cincinnati visits Dec. 9.
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