Unexpected Points

Unexpected Points

Week 1 Sunday Night Giants-Cowboys: Advanced Review

The New York Giants offense was in superb form, through the air and on the ground

Kevin Cole's avatar
Kevin Cole
Sep 14, 2026
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The adjusted scores quantify team play quality, with emphasis on stable metrics (success rate) and downplaying higher variance events (turnovers, special team, penalties, fumble luck, etc). Adjusted expected points added (EPA), in conjunction with opportunity-based metrics like total plays and drives, projects adjusted points. Adjusted scores have been tested against actual scores and offer slightly better predictive ability, though their primary benefit is explanatory.

All 2026-2022 and historical Adjusted Scores and other site metrics are available in a downloadable format to paid subscribers via Google Sheet.

Find previous advanced reviews here

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** Adjusted Scores table:

  • “Pass” - Pass rate over expectation (based on context of each play and historical averages

  • “Success” - Success rate on offense, a key metric in adjusted score vs actual

  • “H & A” - Home or away team

Giants vs Cowboys (-3)

Fans of the New York Giants should be rightfully excited about the prospects for their team, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Jaxson Dart & Co. dominated the Dallas Cowboys defense, posting a 56% success rate overall (second best of the week) and nearly 70% dropping back to pass (best of the week).

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