If the Dallas Cowboys want a blueprint for a victory - and they certainly do need one - they might want to check out the recent past of this week's opponent.
The reeling Cowboys will be looking to stay relevant in the postseason picture when they play host the New York Giants on Monday night in a prime-time NFC East matchup.
Dallas (1-4) already trails the Giants (4-2) and Philadelphia Eagles by three games in the division, and another loss Monday night could bury owner Jerry Jones' hopes of becoming the first franchise to play in a Super Bowl in which it is the host team.
New York certainly won't take its bitter division rival lightly, since it was in a similar situation - albeit not as desperate - after stumbling out of the gate this season.
Entering Week 4, the Giants had suffered back-to-back lopsided losses and were preparing to host the then-unbeaten Chicago Bears under the lights on a Sunday night.
New York responded by going back to the basics of winning football, riding a magnificent defensive effort that produced 10 sacks - nine in the first half - and 129 rushing yards by Ahmad Bradshaw to a dominant 17-3 victory.
That victory kick-started a three-game winning streak that has vaulted the Giants to the top of the division and has them looking like a serious contender rather than the pretender they appeared to be through three games.
Sound familiar, Cowboys fans? Dallas, despite possessing the league’s third-ranked offense and fourth-rated defense, cannot seem to get out of its own way.
Among the many problematic issues with the Cowboys are an inability to run the ball and an inability to commit penalties. They are averaging just 95 yards per game and absorbing an average of 81 yards per game in penalties.
Last week’s 24-21 loss at Minnesota typified the season for Dallas, which suffered its second straight defeat despite holding Brett Favre and the Vikings to 188 total yards.
A renewed emphasis to feed the ball to running back Felix Jones did not pan out. He carried 10 times for 61 yards as the Cowboys rushed for just 94 yards while being flagged for 91 yards in penalties.
Facing a Giants defense that has accumulated 21 sacks – second in the league – the Cowboys may need to continue to try and pound the ball on the ground to alleviate pressure on quarterback Tony Romo.
Although he is second in the league with 1,566 passing yards, Romo also has been picked off seven times – five coming in the last two losses to Minnesota and Tennessee.
Romo will be looking over his shoulder at Giants defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck, who have combined for 11 sacks during the three-game winning streak. Umenyiora has caused six lost fumbles to go with seven sacks in that span.
New York will likely feature a heavy dose of Bradshaw, who has gone over 100 yards in two of his last three games and has 582 yards on the season.
Eli Manning has thrown for 1,479 yards and 10 TDs, but he also has been turnover-prone with eight picks and four lost fumbles. Hakeem Nicks has been his favorite target with 36 receptions and six touchdowns.
The Giants swept the season series a year ago, including a 33-31 win in the first game played at Cowboys Stadium.