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Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The Dallas Cowboys scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to claim a big division win over the NFC East rival New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw three touchdown passes and Ezekiel Elliott ran for a season-high 139 yards in the 37-18 win Monday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Giants rookie quarterback Daniel Jones had three turnovers in the loss.
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"We've got to beat these teams to control our destiny and put ourselves in the position that we want to be in," Prescott told reporters. "This team -- the tightness, the brotherhood, all of the things that I've talked about -- we're not out here trying to prove anything to anybody. We're trying to prove it to each other. When you have a team that's close, you do that."
The Cowboys (5-3) out-gained the Giants (5-3) 429 yards to 271 yards and sacked Jones five times in the win. Dallas has now beaten New York six consecutive times.
"It was the easiest 140 yards I've ever gained," Elliott said. "I don't even know If I broke a tackle, I just ran inside the scheme. Those guys [offensive line] just mauled them up front, thank them for making it easier on me. Got to love the big fellas."
Giants defender Antoine Bethea intercepted Prescott on the first play from scrimmage, resulting in an Aldrick Rosas field goal to give New York an early edge. Brett Maher hit a 35-yard field goal to answer for Dallas on the next possession.
Jones capped off a 10-play, 51-yard drive by finding Cody Lattimer for a one-yard score three minutes into the second quarter. The Giants increased their lead to 12-3 on another Rosas field goal.
The Cowboys responded with Prescott hooking up with Blake Jarwin for his second touchdown toss of the game. Maher made a 52-yard field goal just before halftime, giving the Cowboys a 13-12 lead at the break.
Maher and Rosas exchanged field goals again in the third quarter before the Cowboys took control of the game at the start of the fourth frame. Prescott led Dallas on a nine-play, 60-yard drive, capped off with a 15-yard touchdown toss to Michael Gallup. The score gave Dallas a 23-15 advantage.
Rosas hit a 29-yard field goal on the next drive, before the Cowboys put the game away with Prescott's third touchdown pass. Dallas had the ball for a 3rd-and-12 play from the Giants 45-yard line during the sequence. Prescott took the snap and threw the ball to the middle of the field, finding Cooper as he ran from the left to the right. Cooper out-sprinted the Giants' secondary to give the Cowboys a 30-18 edge.
The Cowboys got the game's final score after Dorance Armstrong sacked Jones and forced him to fumble with 22 seconds remaining. Jourdan Lewis picked up the loose ball and returned it for a 63-yard score.
Jones completed 26 of 41 passes for 210 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also lost two fumbles. Saquon Barkley had just 28 yards on 14 carries, but hauled in six catches for 67 yards in the loss. Cooper had 80 yards and a touchdown on four catches for the Cowboys. Xavier Woods had three tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and a pass defensed in the win.
"I think week to week, I've gotten better in some areas and I haven't in others," Jones said. "The challenge is to continue to get better and correct the things I haven't done well. I have to keep working at that."
Armstrong, Michael Bennett, Demarcus Lawrence and Maliek Collins each had sacks for the Cowboys. Jaylon Smith and Robert Quinn combined for a sack.
"I'm disappointed we didn't do enough things to win the game," Giants coach Pat Shurmur said. "That's where I'm at. I'm disappointed we didn't win. I think everyone in the locker room is that way. That's where it's at."
The Cowboys host the Minnesota Vikings at 8:20 p.m. EST Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Giants face the New York Jets at 1 p.m. Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
