EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Victor Cruz and Eli Manning have the New York Giants dancing to the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Manning threw three touchdown passes, including a 74-yarder to Cruz early, and the Giants (9-7) won an all-or-nothing game to claim the final spot in the NFL playoffs, beating the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 on Sunday night.
The loss left Jerry Jones’ Cowboys (8-8) out of the playoffs for the second straight year.
New York won three of its final four games for 65-year-old coach Tom Coughlin and earned a wild-card home game next Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons (10-6).
The Cowboys lost four of their final five games in their first full season under coach Jason Garrett.