Go for it. Do not sit back. Apply pressure rather than wilt under it.

This strategy was crucial for the Giants and their defensive coordinator, Shane Bowen, in a gripping game that ended as many Sundays do for a team that notches victories about as frequently as the mortgage is due: roughly once a month.

In a game where one or two decisive plays could have secured a thrilling 37-34 triumph in Arlington, Texas, a singular missed opportunity pushed the intense matchup into overtime. True to form, the Giants found themselves defeated by the Cowboys 40-37, marking their ninth straight loss to an NFC East rival that often finds its groove when the team in blue arrives.

Mistakes happen, but there is a difference between losing despite being aggressive and losing due to hesitancy. Dak Prescott’s 18-yard pass to tight end Jake Ferguson put the powerful-legged Brandon Aubrey within range for a 64-yard field goal as time ticked away, and Aubrey’s follow-up 46-yarder secured the win in overtime. This left the Giants at 0-2, squandering Russell Wilson’s spectacular show of long-range passing skill.