The New York Giants opened the 2026 NFL season with a 28–20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on September 13, 2026, at MetLife Stadium. The Sunday Night Football matchup gave the Giants a winning start under new head coach John Harbaugh. New York controlled possession for more than 36 minutes and finished with 394 total yards. Dallas managed 244 total yards and struggled to create consistent offensive drives despite scoring three touchdowns.
Jaxson Dart led the Giants with 230 passing yards and three touchdown passes. Isaiah Likely caught eight passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns, while Cam Skattebo rushed for 81 yards and a score. Dak Prescott completed 22 of 34 passes for 175 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for Dallas. Javonte Williams accounted for two Cowboys touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving.
Match Score
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 0 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 20 |
| New York Giants | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
Final Score and Match Details
The Giants scored in every quarter and never surrendered the lead after Cam Skattebo’s opening touchdown. Dallas tied the game at 7–7 in the second quarter when Prescott found CeeDee Lamb for a one-yard touchdown. New York answered before halftime through Likely, then extended its advantage with another Likely touchdown early in the third quarter. The Giants entered the fourth quarter with a 21–14 lead and remained in control.
New York added another touchdown through Devin Singletary in the fourth quarter, giving the Giants a 28–14 advantage. Dallas responded with a 17-yard touchdown reception by Williams, but the Cowboys could not complete the comeback. Brandon Aubrey’s extra-point attempt after that touchdown failed, leaving Dallas eight points behind. The Giants then controlled the final minutes and finished the game with a 28–20 victory.
| Match Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Teams | Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants |
| Date | September 13, 2026 |
| Week | NFL Week 1 |
| Venue | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey |
| Final Score | Giants 28, Cowboys 20 |
| Dallas Record | 0–1 |
| New York Record | 1–0 |
| Game Type | Regular Season |
| Attendance | 83,286 |
Team Statistics
The Giants produced the stronger overall offensive performance. New York gained 394 total yards on 68 plays, while Dallas finished with 244 yards on 52 plays. The Giants also averaged 5.8 yards per play compared with Dallas’ 4.7. Most importantly, New York controlled the clock for 36:40, leaving the Cowboys with only 23:20 of possession.
The rushing difference was especially important. New York gained 165 rushing yards on 37 attempts, while Dallas managed 69 yards on 18 attempts. The Giants also produced 229 passing yards compared with Dallas’ 175. Both teams committed one turnover, but New York’s ability to sustain longer drives helped it maintain control throughout the game.
| Team Statistic | Cowboys | Giants |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 244 | 394 |
| Passing Yards | 175 | 229 |
| Rushing Yards | 69 | 165 |
| Total Plays | 52 | 68 |
| Yards per Play | 4.7 | 5.8 |
| Time of Possession | 23:20 | 36:40 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Penalties | 9 | 10 |
| Penalty Yards | 90 | 114 |
Dak Prescott Leads Dallas’ Passing Attack
Dak Prescott completed 22 of 34 attempts for 175 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw one interception and finished with an 84.8 passer rating. Prescott connected with CeeDee Lamb for a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter and later found Javonte Williams for a 17-yard score in the fourth quarter. His passing numbers were solid in completion percentage, but Dallas struggled to generate enough total offense.
Prescott also rushed twice for 14 yards, including a 10-yard run. However, the Cowboys’ passing attack did not consistently produce explosive plays against New York. Dallas completed several drives with touchdowns, but the offense spent less time on the field than the Giants. The final statistics reflected that difference, with Dallas recording 52 offensive plays compared with New York’s 68.
| Quarterback | Comp/Att | Passing Yards | TD | INT | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dak Prescott | 22/34 | 175 | 2 | 1 | 84.8 |
| Jaxson Dart | 23/29 | 230 | 3 | 0 | — |
Jaxson Dart Makes an Impressive Start
Jaxson Dart delivered the standout quarterback performance for New York. He completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns without throwing an interception. Dart also rushed 11 times for 54 yards, giving the Giants another dimension on the ground. His accurate passing helped New York maintain long drives and repeatedly move the ball into scoring territory.
Dart connected with Isaiah Likely twice for touchdowns and later found Devin Singletary for a nine-yard score. His performance became particularly important because Dallas had opportunities to reduce the deficit during the second half. Dart continued to move the offense efficiently, while the Giants’ running game helped control possession. His three touchdown passes accounted for all three of New York’s passing scores.
Isaiah Likely Becomes a Key Target
Isaiah Likely was one of the most productive players in the Cowboys vs Giants matchup. He caught eight passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns. His first score covered 15 yards and came with only 20 seconds remaining in the second quarter. His second touchdown came on a two-yard reception in the third quarter, giving New York a seven-point advantage.
Likely’s eight receptions gave Dart a reliable option throughout the game. His two touchdowns came at important moments because both helped the Giants maintain momentum after Dallas had scored. The Giants also received contributions from Malik Nabers, who returned to regular-season action and caught six passes for 69 yards. Nabers’ return added another useful weapon to New York’s offense.
| Giants Receiver | Receptions | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isaiah Likely | 8 | 78 | 2 |
| Malik Nabers | 6 | 69 | 0 |
| Darnell Mooney | 2 | 27 | 0 |
| Devin Singletary | 1 | 9 | 1 |
Javonte Williams Scores Twice for Dallas
Javonte Williams provided Dallas with its biggest scoring contribution. He rushed 12 times for 41 yards and a touchdown while also catching five passes for 31 yards and another touchdown. His 72 total yards placed him among the Cowboys’ leading offensive contributors, and both of his touchdowns came after Dallas had fallen behind.
Williams scored on a one-yard rushing play with 37 seconds remaining in the third quarter, cutting New York’s lead to 21–14. In the fourth quarter, he caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Prescott to make the score 28–20. However, the failed extra point meant Dallas still needed another touchdown and two-point conversion to tie the game.
| Cowboys Player | Rushing | Rush Yards | Rush TD | Receptions | Rec. Yards | Rec. TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Javonte Williams | 12 | 41 | 1 | 5 | 31 | 1 |
| Dak Prescott | 2 | 14 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Emari Demercado | 2 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Hunter Luepke | 1 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
Cam Skattebo Leads the Giants Ground Game
Cam Skattebo gave the Giants an early advantage with his three-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. He finished with 18 carries for 81 yards and one touchdown, averaging 4.5 yards per attempt. His production helped New York maintain a balanced attack and prevented the Cowboys from focusing exclusively on Dart’s passing game.
Dart also contributed 54 rushing yards on 11 attempts, including a 22-yard run. Devin Singletary added 16 yards on six carries. Together, the Giants’ rushing attack produced 165 yards, more than twice Dallas’ 69 rushing yards. That ground production was a major part of New York’s ability to control possession and protect its lead.
| Giants Rusher | Carries | Yards | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cam Skattebo | 18 | 81 | 1 | 13 |
| Jaxson Dart | 11 | 54 | 0 | 22 |
| Devin Singletary | 6 | 16 | 0 | 4 |
CeeDee Lamb and Malik Nabers Make an Impact
CeeDee Lamb scored Dallas’ first touchdown of the game on a one-yard reception from Prescott. He finished with five receptions for 44 yards. His touchdown helped Dallas tie the game at 7–7 in the second quarter, and he also reached an important career milestone during the contest by moving past Dez Bryant for fifth place on the Cowboys’ all-time receiving yardage list.
Malik Nabers made his return to regular-season action and recorded six receptions for 69 yards. His return provided Dart with an established downfield option alongside Likely. Although Nabers did not score, his 69 receiving yards represented an important part of the Giants’ passing production. New York ultimately finished with 229 passing yards, giving its offense enough balance to keep Dallas’ defense under pressure.
Key Moments and Turning Point
The first major moment came late in the second quarter. Dallas had tied the game at 7–7, but the Giants answered quickly when Dart found Likely for a 15-yard touchdown with only 20 seconds left before halftime. That score restored New York’s lead and gave the Giants momentum heading into the locker room. Likely then scored again in the third quarter to put New York ahead 21–7.
Dallas responded with Williams’ one-yard touchdown run and later his 17-yard receiving touchdown. However, the Cowboys could not complete the comeback. The failed extra point after Williams’ fourth-quarter score left Dallas down by eight rather than seven. New York then used its rushing attack and clock management to close out the game. Jevon Holland’s interception earlier in the contest also provided a key defensive play for the Giants.
Final Match Summary
The New York Giants defeated the Dallas Cowboys 28–20 in the 2026 season opener at MetLife Stadium. Dart completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns, while Likely produced eight receptions, 78 yards and two scores. Skattebo added 81 rushing yards and a touchdown. New York’s 394 total yards and 36:40 time of possession demonstrated how effectively the Giants controlled the game from the opening quarter through the final possession.
Dallas received two touchdowns from Williams and another from Lamb, while Prescott finished with 175 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The Cowboys produced 244 total yards and could not match New York’s rushing output. The 28–20 result gave the Giants a 1–0 start and left Dallas at 0–1. For readers searching for Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants match player stats, the game featured strong performances from Dart, Likely, Skattebo, Prescott and Williams.
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