“Cowboys won't be happy about victory over Giants”.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – A must-win game in Week 4? You can bet on it. It's not an overreaction to describe the Dallas Cowboys' game against the New York Giants as such, and while Dak Prescott and Co. refrained from using that exact term before the game at MetLife Stadium, they chose it after their 20th game day Veil from -1 win in primetime.

As Prescott explained, it definitely took some, if not all, of the load off the Cowboys' chests.

“It was huge,” the All-Pro quarterback said. “After two defeats, especially at home, away, in the first division – league wins are always difficult. Like I said, when you add in some away time and before a long weekend, you get a better taste.”

The win ends a two-game losing streak that left the Cowboys with a 1-2 record to start the season, made all the more bitter by the fact that they hadn't beaten the Detroit Lions since Dec. 30 at AT&T Stadium, and they will continue to do so Look in the mirror for opportunities for improvement.

It's worth enjoying the win against the Giants, but it's also true that they found it difficult to beat them on several occasions. Keeping this in mind is crucial when considering the onslaught of playoff-caliber teams they will face in the next six weeks or more.

“At the end of the day, like I said, even after the two losses in the last two weeks, it's a process,” Prescott added. “We will not become complacent. We're not going to get overly upset about what we did (against NYG). It's about building and figuring out what we can do better in all phases, but it's a lot. “It's easier with a win.”

Prescott was a key catalyst in getting the Cowboys back on the winning list on Thursday, posting excellent accuracy (81.5% – a season high) along with 221 passing yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and a passer rating of 125.5.

The forecast of rain didn't come true, but the forecast for Rayne did.

It also led to CeeDee Lamb initially being apoplectic in the loss to the Ravens and apologizing in the days that followed. He fired up the Giants in the first half and helped the Cowboys get off to a rare fast start.

But when Prescott returns to the need for the team to continue to improve its professional approach to the game, he's not singling out anyone. Instead, he speaks to the entire squad, including himself, and demands that everyone persevere through every single rep of practice and through four full quarters during games.

Only then can the Cowboys be considered contenders for the Super Bowl again.

“We have to continue to be professionals,” Prescott said. “This is not done. That's not done when you get a win and that's my point, how do we not get overly excited or hopefully the guys don't listen to everything that is written about them, good or bad. It's about focusing on this process.

“We got a win tonight and that puts us at 2-2 heading into a long weekend, but next week we have to play a good Steelers team on the road that might be undefeated, right? Who.” Maybe if we play them we’ll be undefeated, right? It will be a difficult environment.

As it stands, the Steelers are 3-0 and preparing to face the Indianapolis Colts with a chance to go 4-0 when they host the Cowboys in the Steel City in Week 5. The last time Prescott visited, he and Ezekiel Elliott struck a death blow with a walkoff touchdown in 2016.

But that was then, and this is now.

“I haven’t played there since my rookie year, so I’m looking forward to it,” Prescott said. “That's really all that matters – is taking care of our bodies, being smart and healthy this weekend and going back to work on Monday and being professionals, continuing to work, trusting the process, trusting each other trust, take responsibility and get started.” Next Sunday the best version of us will be out there.

Three words resonate most in this quote: “Keep working.” There is no other choice if this season is to have any meaning when all is said and done.

And here comes October in all its force.