The Dallas Cowboys have already clinched a playoff spot, becoming the first team to punch their ticket to the NFL playoffs.A victory Sunday over the New York Giants (8-4) would lock down the NFC East title and keep the Cowboys (11-1) on the inside track for the No. 1 seed in the conference, which guarantees every Dallas postseason game would be played at AT&T Stadium.Oh yeah, the Cowboys also have payback on their minds.The Giants are the only team to beat the Cowboys this season, doing so 20-19 in Week 1. Dallas has run off a franchise-record 11 consecutive wins since to forge the leagues best record.Im looking forward to it a lot personally, and then I know this team (is), Cowboys rookie quarterback Dak Prescott said. Theyre the only blemish on our record right now. And just to be able to go up there at their place and be able to do what they did to us the first game, were excited for the opportunity.Prescotts first start in place of injured Tony Romo wasnt necessarily rookie-like. The fourth-round pick completed 25 of 45 passes for 227 yards, without a touchdown or interception.Prescott has progressed considerably since. Hes the leagues third-ranked passer and he has thrown for 19 touchdowns against just two picks.I watched the tape, and I shake my head sometimes at the things I did or the throws I didnt make because I wasnt trusting it, Prescott said of his first NFL game. But Ive definitely grown a ton since then, just being able to see the defenses faster, recognize whats going on, knowing and making confident decisions, and letting the ball go.Fellow rookie and NFL rushing leader Ezekiel Elliott ran for only 51 yards on 20 carries in his debut. It remains his lowest total of the season.It does seem like it was forever ago because weve been through so much more as a team, and weve grown so much. It does seem like it was a long time, but we have to use it as a learning experience.The Giants prevailed in the opener on Eli Mannings touchdown pass to Victor Cruz with 6 minutes left. It remains the only scoring catch this season for Cruz, who has seen his role reduced in recent weeks.Cruz and coach Ben McAdoo met this week to discuss the receivers role. Cruz expects to be a bigger part of the offense against Dallas.We had an honest conversation between both of us, Cruz said. He laid it to me straight and I gave him my thoughts as well, Cruz said. I think it was productive and it ended well. It was a conversation that I guess needed to be had and we had it.And now we can turn the page and move on.McAdoo wants to see more consistency out of the offense. The Giants havent totaled 300 yards in either of the last two weeks or scored at least 30 in any game this season. On Saturday, they activated dual-threat running back Shane Vereen, who has been out since Week 3 with a triceps injury.When you have been as inconsistent as we have on offense, its a challenge, McAdoo said. Victor, like everybody else, including myself, wants to be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem, so my door is always open for any of these guys that want to come in and have a conversation.New Yorks defense took a hit this week with Jason Pierre-Pauls surgery for a sport hernia. The defensive end is out up to six weeks, meaning he cant return until deep in the playoffs.The Giants plan to have Pierre-Paul back on the field ... this season.JPP is an X-Man. Hes a mutant, linebacker Jonathan Casillas said. Dude came back from blowing his hand off in four months. He blew his hand off and was playing in a football game four months later.I mean, that is a mutant to me, so I think the guy is going to be back. The better we are, the deeper we get into January and February is the ultimate goal, of course. Hopefully we can get him back.The Giants plan to fill the Pierre-Paul void by committee, with defensive ends Romeo Okwara, Owa Odighizuwa and Kerry Wynn, and pass-rushing linebacker Devon Kennard possibly taking on bigger roles.The Cowboys have only faced two teams -- Washington (112) and Philadelphia (110) -- more than they have faced the Giants (108) in the regular season. Custom Vikings T-shirts . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. Garrett Bradbury Jersey Large . Louis Blues. Shane Hnidy joins Brian Munz for the broadcast on TSN 1290 Radio at 7pm ct. http://www.customvikingsjersey.com/ . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. Wholesale Custom Vikings Shirts . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Cheap Custom Vikings Jersey .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. (STATS) -- Jacksonville States quest to return to the FCS national championship game begins this weekend, and thats the only place where its mind will be.If you look ahead this time of year, you will be taking up equipment on Monday, coach John Grass said. It is a do-or-die situation and you have to do your very best.Two years ago, the Gamecocks were the No. 3 seed and enjoyed a first-round bye but were stunned 37-26 by Sam Houston State at home in their playoff opener. Those still around from that squad admitted their collective mind back then wondered to what was potentially down the road.Grass and Co. werent about to let that happen again in 2015.The Gamecocks lived only for the moment, and it paid off with a trip to the FCS title game. Though the season ended with a rather uncompetitive performance in that 37-10 loss to North Dakota State in suburban Dallas, the mental path in which Jacksonville State took to reach the FCS promised land is one it expects to again follow starting Saturday at home against Youngstown State (9-3).All of our guys understand how to approach each week after being here last year, and even the guys that are freshmen this year understand it, senior quarterback and Ohio Valley Conference offensive player of year Eli Jenkins said.Its certainly worked for the Gamecocks (10-1), who again are the No. 3 seed this season.Since a 34-13 loss at then-No. 21 LSU on Sept. 10, Jacksonville State has averaged 33.7 points while winning nine in a row. Third in the FCS in scoring defense, the Gamecocks have yielded just 67 points in their last six games.Grass, the first coach in FCS history to begin his career with three straight undefeated conference seasons, credits his teams continued success to their strong practice habits and attention to detail.They are more locked in to the preparation, and it is about how we play, Grass said. I think they enjoy practicing because that is how you get good at something, because they rep it.You caant look at who you are playing and what they are like.dddddddddddd It is staying focused on us and how we approach and how we play the game.Youngstown has subscribed to that same theory, but as the underdog is also taking the us against the world mantra into the weekend. Despite recording a third consecutive victory, 38-24 over Samford in the first round, the Penguins have heard talk that they dont stand a chance against these Gamecocks.As far as Youngstown is concerned, thats just more incentive to prove its doubters wrong even through its three defeats came at current No. 14 West Virginia and the Missouri Valley Football Conference co-champions, top-seeded North Dakota State and No. 8 seed South Dakota State.Come out and just compete, Penguins safety Jameel Smith said. This is kind of a big challenge to us, and we kind of took (the negative talk) personally.Its Youngstown against everybody else and thats how we look at it.Back in the playoffs for the first time since 2006, the Penguins have totaled 103 points in two games and of late rode the legs of senior Jody Webb, who has rushed for 507 yards in the last three contests. He gained a career-high 174 and scored twice against Samford.The Penguins also feature fellow senior Martin Ruiz, the schools all-time leading rusher who has gained 1,086 yards and scored 11 times on the ground in 2016.No matter who is behind us we know that were behind one another, and we are going to do what it takes, Webb said.The Penguins have allowed only four rushing TDs, but the multi-threat Jenkins has rushed for a team-high 795 yards with 12 touchdowns. He is 5-3 in playoff action, passing for 1,218 yards with seven touchdowns and rushing for 935 with nine scores.The winner of this first meeting between the schools will face either No. 6 seed The Citadel or Wofford in the quarterfinals. ' ' '