EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — For the ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵÏÂÔØÈë¿Ú, stopping their three-game slide in their victory over the Washington Commanders checked one of their final two boxes as their 2025 season came to a close. The other was to put down another bitter NFC East rival, this time the New York Giants, to avoid a second consecutive losing season and to finish 5-1 in the division.
The Giants weren't exactly planning to wave the white flag though, as Jaxson Dart entered looking to end his rookie season on a high note, and did, mostly having his way against a Cowboys' defense that, once again, could not find ways to consistently stop an opposing offense over the course of four quarters.
Prescott was pulled at halftime, along with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and the rest was, well, the rest; but there were five players who at least earned a salute on my final Stargazing list of the 2025 season, a campaign Dallas will not soon forget for its brutal failings.
[Note: This list is unranked.]
Jadeveon Clowney
Clowney has been a man possessed through the back half of the season, and he continued to conjure plays against the Giants. On the first defensive drive of the game, there was Clowney with a PBU on Jaxson Dart and then a one-yard tackle for loss to force a field goal. He'd go on to deliver a five-yard sack to force another field goal on the third drive, a three-yard tackle for loss … so forth and so on. The way Clowney was making plays, you would've thought the Cowboys had everything on the line, despite having nothing on the line at all, and that's exactly the kind of player Dallas needs to keep on this roster.
Jaydon Blue
Have a day, rook. Little Boy Blue wasn't little at all against the Giants, that's for sure. He looked decisive with his runs, quick and oh-so-bursty (pause) when he chose to put his foot in the turf and go. His 27-yard run on the Cowboys' second possession of the game put Dallas in the red zone and though they couldn't capitalize — largely due to the offense suddenly deciding to pass once they got there — it did give the Cowboys a 3-3 tie; and the 14-yard rushing touchdown from Blue after suffering a one-yard tackle for loss by former Cowboys' defensive end Chauncey Golston proves Blue never says die.
KaVontae Turpin
Everyone has been waiting the entire season to see prime Turpin return (pun intended) on kickoffs. For one reason or the other, the All-Pro returner has been unable to break long runs, often due to penalties by his teammates, but he changed that against the Giants to conclude the season. Turpin rattled off an 84-yard kickoff return late in the first quarter that put the Cowboys on the Giants' 11-yard line – marking his longest return this season and the second-longest of his NFL career. It served as a reminder of what Turpin can do on kickoffs, and hopefully more of it will be put on display in 2026.
Shemar James
Overall, it was another poor showing for the Cowboys' defense and Matt Eberflus, made worse by several unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. But there was someone other than Clowney making at least some sort of impact, and his name is Shemar James. The rookie linebacker delivered a touchdown-saving tackle in the second quarter that was followed by one of Clowney's impact plays to force a field goal; and then logged ½ sack against Jaxson Dart to finish his first year on a strong note.
Honorable mention: Phil Mafah (first NFL touchdown)
