Story perspectives

Giants Beat Cowboys 28-20 in Sunday Night Opener

By Drooid · Sep 14, 2026, 10:45 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Giants defeat Cowboys

The New York Giants beat the Dallas Cowboys 28-20 in the Sunday Night Football opener.
John Harbaugh made his Giants head-coaching debut while wearing an NYPD cap and later an FDNY hat.
Jaxson Dart completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards, three touchdowns, and added 11 carries for 54 yards.
Giants defense generated 14 pressures, 11 hurries, three QB hits and forced an interception by Jevon Holland.

Summary

Cowboys suffer penalty barrage

The Cowboys committed seven first-half penalties, the most in an opening half since 2008.
Coach Brian Schottenheimer identified penalties, a poor run game, missed tackles and another issue as four halftime fixes.
Quinnen Williams forced the lone fumble but also drew a penalty, underscoring defensive discipline problems.
Dallas has now lost five of its last six season openers when Dak Prescott skips preseason reps.

History

Historical Context

In 2008 the Giants defended their Super Bowl XLII championship, and the rivalry that began in 1960 continued its back-and-forth swings between the clubs. Since 2017 the Cowboys have won 11 of 12 meetings, a pattern that resurfaces each opener and shapes expectations for the 2024 season, highlighting the importance of early-season discipline.

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Giants defeat Cowboys

The New York Giants beat the Dallas Cowboys 28-20 in the Sunday Night Football opener.
John Harbaugh made his Giants head-coaching debut while wearing an NYPD cap and later an FDNY hat.
Jaxson Dart completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards, three touchdowns, and added 11 carries for 54 yards.
Giants defense generated 14 pressures, 11 hurries, three QB hits and forced an interception by Jevon Holland.

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