Kerry Collins is 2-4 as the Giants' starting quarterback.

With their core of veterans, the Cowboys are a safer bet than the Giants. Players like Troy Aikman, Mark Stepnoski and Emmitt Smith have been through more pressure situations and are better suited when one game really matters.

Still, the Cowboys had a great chance to wrap up the playoff berth last week against New Orleans and didn't. The last two weeks, in losses to both the Jets and the Saints, Dallas' inability to close out a victory has been a problem. I'm shocked they lost to the Saints, especially against a new quarterback in Jake Delhomme. You could blame it on short week of preparation. It didn't seem they were ready for the Saints. But New Orleans had nothing to lose. Sometimes, that could be a detriment to the team that has everything to lose.

While the Cowboys can simply make the playoffs with the victory, the Giants need a little more help. Losing to Minnesota last week nearly killed their chances, and now a victory over Dallas might not be enough, unless Arizona can also win in Green Bay.

The Giants' inconsistency running the football blows my mind. When your leading rusher has only 312 yards, not only can't I comprehend it, but it's not acceptable. It's amazing the Giants even have a chance to go to the playoffs still when they run the football that ineffectively.

I wonder which Giants offense is going to show up Sunday: Will it feature the Kerry Collins with the big arm who can make plays in the clutch, or will it be the Collins everyone has doubted for the last three or four years? The quarterback position is probably the difference in the game. Aikman, along with Brett Favre, is probably the toughest quarterback in the league.

The Giants defense hasn't been as good as expected. They lost a significant dimension when cornerback Jason Sehorn was hurt again and lost for the season. But John Fox is one of the best defensive coordinators at creating effective blitz schemes. If the Giants can create turnovers in Dallas' territory, they have a chance.

There is talk that Giants coach Jim Fassel might get a contract extension. I'm not sure if his job will hinge on the outcome of Sunday's game, but when the Giants lose twice in two straight years to the rival Cowboys, there is always a chance that Fassel might not be back.

Here are the keys to Monday night's game for each team:

New York Giants
1. Run well on first down: The Giants simply will not win if they can't run successfully on first-and-10. They need to average at least four yards or more a carry. They can't be in third-and-long situations on the road in Dallas. The Giants must run inside because the Cowboys' quick linebackers, particularly Dexter Coakley, can run down any outside plays. The Giants aren't good enough to consistently attack the edge of the Dallas defense. The Giants have to reach down for something special to give themselves a chance.

2. Efficient passing game: Collins must compete 60 percent of his passes and take some chances outside. Deion Sanders might be in coverage, but the Giants need to play some vertical football, especially off play-action. They have two quality receivers in Amani Toomer and Ike Hilliard who can step up and make big plays. Toomer has 1,159 receiving yards, and Hilliard is only 41 yards short of 1,000.

On the road, it's critical for the Giants to make the Cowboys play catch-up and take them out of their game plan. Even if Collins is unable to connect downfield with Toomer and Hilliard, the attempts to go deep will back the Cowboys off and give New York a chance to run.

3. Different defensive looks: If the Giants let Aikman see two-deep zone coverage all day, he will get the Cowboys into the right play every time. He will do the same if he sees press man-to-man coverage on the outside all day. Fox does a great job of mixing up his blitzes. He will blitz from the slot on one play, and then up the middle on the next, playing zone behind it. Of all the assistant coaches around the league, he is one of them who deserves to be considered for a head-coaching job. The Giants defense has been banged up, but Fox has done well under the circumstances.

Dallas Cowboys
1. Emotional rescue: The Cowboys need to recover quickly from the emotion of back-to-back losses, especially the one against New Orleans. Will it linger or will the Cowboys be professional enough to put those games behind them? The Cowboys have enough veteran leadership to keep them focused on the Giants. I expect the veterans to make big plays and put Dallas in the playoffs.

2. Whole lotta Emmitt: The Cowboys must get Emmitt Smith at least 25 touches. He must run the ball to control the line of scrimmage and allow Aikman to throw no more than 20-25 times. If the Cowboys can't run, that means they aren't winning time of possession and controlling the ball. Aikman will then throw the ball 30-40 times, hurting their chances. When Smith is running well, the Cowboys are doing everything they want to do.

3. "Special" teams: Dallas' special teams must be special. The Cowboys have struggled at kicker, cutting inconsistent Richie Cunningham and bringing in veteran Eddie Murray. They need a blocked kick or big play in the return game because I believe the game will be close and low-scoring.

Former NFL quarterback Sean Salisbury works as a studio analyst on NFL 2Night and Monday NFL Countdown. He breaks down the Game of the Week every week for ESPN.com