**Giants' Playoff Hopes Dashed in Thanksgiving Loss to Cowboys**

In a disappointing performance on Thursday evening at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, the New York Giants fell to the Dallas Cowboys, 27-20, in front of a national audience. This defeat marked their seventh consecutive loss, officially eliminating them from playoff contention.

Despite the overall lackluster team performance, kicker Graham Gano managed to shine. Gano successfully sent all of his kickoffs out of the endzone to neutralize the Cowboys' formidable return game. He also converted on all his scoring opportunities, hitting both of his field goal attempts from 46 and 47 yards, in addition to making his lone point-after attempt.

Linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, in his second game back after wrist surgery, struggled significantly. Thibodeaux's performance was marred by three penalties—two offsides and one roughing the passer. He narrowly avoided a fourth penalty and concluded the game with only one tackle, one pass defensed, and two QB hits, failing to provide the defensive boost the Giants needed.

On the defensive side, cornerback Cor'Dale Flott stood out as a positive. Targeted seven times, Flott allowed only three receptions while tallying five tackles (four solo) and two passes defensed, despite giving up a significant third-quarter catch.

Running back Eric Gray continued his troubling trend with another fumble during his sole touch in the game—a second-quarter kickoff return. Although linebacker Matthew Adams recovered the ball, this marked Gray's third fumble of the season, fueling doubts about his reliability.

Rookie safety Tyler Nubin was another standout for the Giants. Participating in every defensive snap, Nubin played a crucial role in a fourth-and-1 stop, contributing to a turnover on downs. He recorded a game-high 12 tackles (five solo, one for a loss) and is now tied for the team lead with 93 tackles this season.

Head coach Brian Daboll's decision-making came under scrutiny once again. His choice to use Gray as a return man puzzled many, and the Giants' persistent issues with discipline and execution pointed back to coaching. The team incurred 13 penalties totaling 98 yards, missed over 10 tackles, dropped three passes, and turned the ball over twice, reflecting broader systemic problems.

Rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers had a mixed outing. While he led the team with eight receptions for 69 yards and made some impressive plays, his two additional drops brought his season total to seven, the second-most in the NFL. Alarmingly, Nabers admitted post-game that he is indifferent to the number of passes he drops, raising concerns over his focus and accountability.