The New York Giants beat the Dallas Cowboys 28-20 on Sunday, September 13, 2026, in the NFL’s Week 1 Sunday Night Football game at MetLife Stadium — a win that also marked John Harbaugh’s first game, and first victory, as the Giants’ head coach. The game aired on NBC and streamed on Peacock, called by Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth, with Melissa Stark and Kaylee Hartung on the sideline.
Key facts
- Final score: Giants 28, Cowboys 20
- When: Sunday, September 13, 2026 — NFL Week 1, Sunday Night Football
- Where: MetLife Stadium
- Broadcast: NBC and Peacock, called by Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth
- Coaching debut: John Harbaugh’s first game — and first win — as Giants head coach
- Giants passer: Jaxson Dart — 23 of 29 for about 230 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, plus 54 rushing yards
- Cowboys passer: Dak Prescott — 22 of 34 for 175 yards, two touchdowns, one interception
- Total yards: Giants 394, Cowboys 244
Dart’s three-touchdown night
Harbaugh, hired by New York in January 2026 after being fired by the Baltimore Ravens, watched quarterback Jaxson Dart complete 23 of 29 passes for about 230 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, adding 54 rushing yards in a performance that outlets covering the game singled out as the standout of the night. The Cowboys, in Brian Schottenheimer’s second season as head coach, managed only 244 total yards.
The stats behind the lopsided score
The numbers explain why the final score understated how one-sided the game actually was. The Giants outgained Dallas 394 yards to 244 and held the ball for nearly 37 minutes against the Cowboys’ 23. Third-down conversions looked close on paper — the Giants went 9 of 11, Dallas 8 of 11. New York held the ball for 36:40 to Dallas’ 23:20, even though the Cowboys converted 8 of 11 third downs to the Giants’ 9 of 11. Dallas stayed within a single score despite the Giants’ 394-244 edge in total yards and their advantage in time of possession.
Prescott’s costly interception
Dak Prescott finished 22 of 34 for 175 yards with two touchdowns, but he also threw an interception on third-and-5 from Dallas’ own 36-yard line late in the second quarter. The turnover set up a Giants touchdown that put New York ahead 14-7 at halftime, a lead the Cowboys never overcame.
How the Giants scored
New York’s touchdowns came from a mix of new and returning faces. Running back Cam Skattebo, playing in his return from a season-ending injury, carried 18 times for 81 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Isaiah Likely, who followed Harbaugh from Baltimore and signed with the Giants as a free agent this year, caught eight passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns in his Giants debut. Running back Devin Singletary caught Dart’s third touchdown pass.
How the Cowboys scored
Dallas got touchdowns from receiver CeeDee Lamb, who caught five passes for 44 yards, including a touchdown that one aggregated report identified as the 42nd of his career — passing Billy Joe DuPree for eighth on the franchise’s all-time list — and from running back Javonte Williams, who scored twice and finished with 12 carries for 41 yards; available reports differ on whether one of his touchdowns came on a run or a reception. A taunting penalty following one of Williams’ touchdowns pushed kicker Brandon Aubrey‘s extra point back to 48 yards; Aubrey missed it wide right, and Dallas came away with zero points on the try.
Coaching debuts and reactions
The loss was also the regular-season play-calling debut for Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker, hired in January 2026 after two seasons on the Philadelphia Eagles’ staff that included a Super Bowl-winning season. His unit allowed 394 total yards and 165 rushing yards. Schottenheimer said afterward that the Cowboys “got humbled,” called the overall performance “pretty poor,” and said the Giants were “the more physical team tonight.”
Cowboys’ injuries pile up
Dallas came out of the game banged up, too. Safety Malik Hooker left in the third quarter after a collision with Giants tight end Chris Manhertz left him with a forearm injury that Schottenheimer said might be fractured, pending further testing, and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown left in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury. Both were significant losses on a defense already adjusting to a first-year play-caller.
What it means for both teams
For a Giants team with a new head coach and a young quarterback, it was a statement opener. For a Cowboys team one year into Schottenheimer’s tenure, it was a rough opener that matched the coach’s own blunt verdict: the performance was “pretty poor.”
Sources and further reading
- New York Giants safety Jevon Holland slides in safely with a knee-drag interception
- Christian Parker – Defensive Coordinator
- Brian Schottenheimer on Cowboys’ season-opening loss: ‘We got humbled’
- Game Recap: Cowboys lose opener, 28-20
- John Harbaugh hired head coach New York Giants NFL
- John Harbaugh announces 2026 Giants coaching staff
- Reports: Isaiah Likely Lands With New York Giants on Big Deal