NFL

Giants passing attack ready for Cowboys

The total for Eli Manning three weeks ago against the Cowboys was 400 passing yards. Manning shredded the Dallas defense, with two touchdown passes in the final three minutes-plus to give the Giants a 37-34 shootout win.

Are the Giants again equipped to win a pass-heavy shootout tomorrow night?

“I feel like we’re equipped to do whatever it is we need to do to win the game,” wideout Hakeem Nicks said. “We know what’s at stake.”

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The NFC East is at stake, as is possibly coach Tom Coughlin’s job. But while the finest part of the Giants’ season has been their explosive and consistent passing game, the air attack is in a different situation heading into tomorrow’s NFC East showdown against the Cowboys at MetLife Stadium.

The last two games, the Giants passing attack has been shaky. In their 23-10 loss to the Redskins, Manning threw for three interceptions. In the 29-14 win over the Jets, Manning was 9-for-27, though to be fair, Jets star corner Darrelle Revis was partly responsible.

“I really don’t know what’s been different,” Nicks said. “We’ve just got to start executing more.”

Besides the recent pass problems, the Giants also have some personnel issues for tomorrow. Tight end Jake Ballard, who was instrumental during the Giants’ rally to beat the Cowboys, is out because of a knee injury. Nicks (hamstring) is probable and plans to play.

The Giants still have Victor Cruz. And Mario Manningham, who missed the Jets game with a knee injury, but is expected to return. Dallas’ secondary has surrendered the NFL’s 10th-most passing yards. Without Ballard (38 catches, 604 yards), the Giants will use backups Bear Pascoe (10, 122) and Travis Beckum (three, 80).

Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said Ballard’s absence is critical, pointing to his performance at the end of the first Cowboys meeting.

“In the game in Dallas he was huge and as the game went on at the end and that last drive, they started using a technique that I hadn’t seen until I happened to be watching television and saw Romeo Crennel do it in Kansas City and all of a sudden they were doing it,” Gilbride said. “They were putting two guys in like a punt coverage against Victor and we couldn’t win with Victor, so we had to win somewhere else. There were a couple things you could do but one of the things and easy solution was to see if Jake could win and he made a huge play for us.”

Ballard also had an 8-yard touchdown catch on the Giants’ second-to-last drive and two catches for 39 yards on the game-winning drive.

“My knee’s just not ready yet,” said Ballard, who will miss his second straight game. “It’s extremely frustrating.”

As for Nicks, he torched Dallas in that game for eight catches and 163 yards, and in his last three games against the Cowboys, he has racked up 22 catches for 353 yards and two scores.

Nicks worked yesterday in practice.

“I wasn’t limited at all on what I did,” he said.