By admin 
The New York Giants opened the John Harbaugh era with an impressive 28-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium.
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Jaxson Dart threw three touchdowns, two to tight end Isaiah Likely, and Cam Skattebo and Devin Singletary each scored. The Giants won their season opener for the first time since 2022 and are tied atop the NFC East with the Philadelphia Eagles, who won their opener over the Washington Commanders 24-22.
Here are four takeaways from the Giants’ season-opening win.
The Giants Beat Up the Cowboys
So much has been made of the physicality Harbaugh-coached teams play with, but the Cowboys felt the wrath of the new-look Giants.
The Giants controlled the clock, winning the time of possession battle 36:40-23:20. They also ran all over Dallas, amassing 165 rushing yards, led by Skattebo (18 carries, 81 yards) and Dart (11 carries, 54 yards), and aided by fullback Patrick Ricard.
But the Giants physically manhandled the Cowboys. They knocked out Cowboys safety Malik Hooker (forearm) and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring), each of whom left with injuries.
With the game in the balance, and the Giants leading 21-14 in the fourth quarter, they sealed the game with a 13-play, eight-plus-minute drive that was capped by Singletary’s 9-yard touchdown catch from Dart.
They also converted two third downs on their final drive after Dallas cut the lead to eight.
The Giants Offense Looked Diverse and Dangerous
The Giants offense was balanced. Dart threw the ball 29 times, and they ran it 37 times, led by Skattebo’s 18 carries.
Dart found receivers Malik Nabers, Darnell Mooney and Malachi Fields, but he also hooked up with Likely for eight receptions and the two scores.
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Much was made in the offseason about Matt Nagy’s plodding offense. But the Giants didn’t throw a screen or draw, and Nagy dusted off a Chiefs-level play on Likely’s second touchdown, using Skattebo as a decoy before Dart found the tight end for a two-yard score.
Penalties Were an Issue for the Giants
Just like last year, the Giants gave up a football field’s worth of penalties against the Cowboys. They had 10 penalties for 114 yards, many of which came on defense.
Dallas only had three touchdown drives, and scored on each of its two second-half drives, but each was aided by penalties. Jevon Holland committed a personal foul against Ryan Flournoy, which led to Javonte Williams’ 17-yard touchdown reception from Dak Prescott.
The Cowboys’ two longest gains came on penalties. The Giants took four pass-interference fouls, including a controversial 1-yarder on Dru Phillips that came against CeeDee Lamb.
The Giants Perfectly Channeled the Game’s Emotions
The penalties were a problem, but the Giants played a poised game, which was no small feat given the emotions of Sept. 11 and playing their biggest rivals.
A year after going 1-7 in one-score games last season, and blowing fourth-quarter leads in Dallas, Chicago, Denver and against Green Bay, the Giants made plays with the game on the line in the fourth quarter.
Likely, the Giants’ three-year, $40 million security blanket, had two superb catches on their final drive, showcasing the chemistry that he and Dart have been talking about all preseason.
The Giants’ poise was contrary to the Cowboys, who came unraveled in the fourth. It started with Williams’ undisciplined unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty, which led to Brandon Aubrey’s missed extra point, then Donovan Ezeiruaku’s facemask on Dart that extended the Giants’ final drive.
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This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 8:41 PM.