EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Last week, it was pretty easy to tell Rolando McClain's strained groin and whatever other aches and pains he had were starting to heal, because he was in the Dallas Cowboys' locker room smiling a couple of times.

When he’s banged up, you rarely see him in the locker room.

The way McClain played Sunday night left no doubt about his health. McClain, who dressed but didn’t play against Jacksonville, made a season-high 11 tackles against the Giants, including two for losses.

No tackle was bigger than the one he put on Rashad Jennings with the game on the line. On fourth-and-2 from the New York 28, Jennings ran a quick out.

Jennings turned to catch Eli Manning's pass at the 30, but his momentum carried him one step toward the 29. McClain tackled him with perfect pad level and leverage, driving him to the ground.

So did McClain know he had stopped him short of the first down?

"I got up and ran off the field didn’t I?" he said with a smirk. "The defensive line got the pressure, Eli threw the pass and I made the tackle. Isn’t that what a linebacker is supposed to do?

McClain said he was in a good mood all week because he knew he was going to play.

"I was excited to play," he said. "It seemed like a long time since I played, and it felt good to get out there and play with these guys. When you have a bunch of guys fighting together and believing together, it’s fun.

"We don’t worry about anything but playing the next play. We have a great group of players and coaches who are working together. I don’t know what it was like before, but this group is trying to do some things."