Cowboys at Harbaugh's Giants in 2026 SNF Opener — SkimNews
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- Dallas Cowboys visit the New York Giants for Sunday Night Football on Sept. 13 (8:20 PM ET, MetLife Stadium), the ninth Week 1 meeting between the NFC East rivals in 20 seasons — and Dallas is 8-0 all-time in Week 1 primetime games in this matchup, including a 40-0 rout in 2023
- John Harbaugh debuts as Giants head coach, the first Super Bowl-winning coach to lead New York since Tom Coughlin's final season in 2015; he brought Ravens veterans Patrick Ricard, Isaiah Likely, and punter Jordan Stout to New York
- Dallas overhauled its defense after allowing a league-worst 30.1 points per game in 2025, replacing 46.2% of last season's defensive snaps and hiring Eagles assistant Christian Parker as coordinator, plus adding edge rushers Rashan Gary and Von Miller, linebacker Dee Winters, and first-round rookies Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence
- Caleb Downs fell to Dallas at No. 11 after the Giants drafted Francis Mauigoa at No. 10; Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Downs' preparation is 'not like most rookies I've been around'
- Malik Nabers is officially questionable as he returns from a torn ACL suffered last season, saying he can't put 'my career at risk' on a 'split decision' about playing
- Dak Prescott has won all 14 games he has started and finished against the Giants, fueling the prediction of a Cowboys 31-17 win as 3-point road favorites (O/U 48.5)
Why it matters: Dallas is a perfect 8-0 all-time in Week 1 primetime games against the Giants, and Prescott has won all 14 games he's started and finished against them. With Malik Nabers officially questionable from a torn ACL and Dallas installed as 3-point road favorites, the Cowboys' league-worst 2025 scoring defense (30.1 PPG allowed) gets a forgiving stage to debut its top-down overhaul.
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