10
Loading video...
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants battled it out at MetLife Stadium in the first "Sunday Night Football" game of the 2026 season.
There was plenty of hope on both sidelines coming into the game: the Giants with a new Super Bowl-winning head coach in John Harbaugh, and the Cowboys with a completely revamped defense. But it didn't matter for Dallas, as the Giants walked away with a 28-20 victory at home in Harbaugh's debut.
Jaxson Dart did all he wanted, going 23 of 29 for 230 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions, along with 54 rushing yards. Cam Skattebo out-physicaled the Cowboys' defensive line, and Isaiah Likely looked like one of the best tight ends in football, finishing with 78 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches.
Read More on NFL
But this time for Dallas, it wasn't just the defense; the offense struggled too, a point Cowboys legend Michael Irvin was quick to make Monday morning on "First Take."
"What the hell was that? What the hell was that last night?" Irvin said. "The Giants came out and they were physical. And they played a physical football game. I fully expected the Giants to be what they are. I did not expect the Cowboys to be what they were last night. It was the same old, same old. That hurt me. I saw the same thing.
"I don't mind, you know, and we'll talk about the defense. We'll talk about how the defense was out of place, and they made plays. My biggest concern was really not just the defense. It really was the offense. Because that's where we knew we had something going. And that part didn't show up. So that's my issue with what I saw last night."
More news: Eagles Rookie WR Makai Lemon Had Historically Bad NFL Debut
As wide open as Likely, Malik Nabers, and third-round rookie Malachi Fields got, and as good as they made veteran running back Devin Singletary look on some downs, it wasn't just New York's offense that outplayed the Cowboys' defense. For the first time in years, Dallas' offense looked pedestrian.
Dak Prescott went just 22 of 34 for 175 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Javonte Williams rushed for 41 yards on 12 carries, averaging a horrendous 3.4 yards per carry. And CeeDee Lamb was their top receiver, finishing with a mere 44 yards and a touchdown on five catches. George Pickens, meanwhile, the same man who was pushing for over $30 million per year, ended with just 28 yards on three catches, and he had a couple of brutal drops.
More news: Todd Monken Noncommittal About Deshaun Watson as Browns Starting QB
...
More news: Lions Cut Ties With Former Second Round Pick 48 Hours Before Season Opener
The Giants' defense looks legit, with Tremaine Edmunds and Arvell Reese both flying around making plays, and Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux all wreaking havoc off the edge. The defensive backs were physical too, notably Deonte Banks and Greg Newsome II.
But this is the same Cowboys offense that put up 391.9 total yards and 27.7 points per game last season. Sunday night against the Giants, they were held to just 244 total yards and lost 28-20. The result might say more about New York, but it's still not how you want to start the season as a Cowboys fan. They'll get a prime opportunity to bounce back in Week 2, though, with a home matchup against the Commanders.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines