How 'bout them New York Football Giants?!
The G-Men leave a buzzing MetLife Stadium with a curse-reversing 28-to-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys. New head coach John Harbaugh wasted no time making a statement. His fingerprints were all over Big Blue’s victory in the best way possible.
And man, does beating Dallas feel good. The Cowboys entered Sunday night having won 16 of the previous 20 meetings between the two teams (including nine of their 10 season-opening meetings), while Dak Prescott was a had-to-check-my-notes 14-3 against the G-Men in his career. Make that 14-4 now.
Even better, the Giants have now beaten their favorite NFC East punching bag twice in a row after last season’s 34-17 Week 18 drubbing. Sure, that one didn’t mean much. This one absolutely did. There’s plenty to unpack from Harbs' first win as Giants HC. For now, here are nine instant reactions to New York’s win in North Jersey.
9 things that stood out from Giants’ curse-reversing Week 1 win over the Cowboys
Giants are going to lean into being a physical football team
It took the Giants no time to fully lean into Harbaugh’s bully-ball philosophy. After forcing a Cowboys three-and-out, Big Blue took the ensuing drive 83 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown. Dart only threw the ball three times, compared to seven runs for 41 yards, including the three-yard score Cam Skattebo punched in behind tight end Isaiah Likely and fullback Patrick “Pancake Pat” Ricard.
If that first drive was any indication, Harbs wasn’t kidding about what he wanted this new-look offense to be like.
What run defense concerns?
Big Blue’s run defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed last year. They finished the season allowing the second-most rushing yards (2,470) and the most yards per carry (5.3), making for one of the saddest excuses for a run defense you could watch from the couch. Apparently, all it took was one offseason of looking themselves in the mirror and making a change.
In Dallas’ first two drives, they couldn’t run the ball on New York if they tried – and they did. They tried five times and came away with all of 10 yards for a whopping 2.0 yards per carry. The Cowboys finished the game with 69 rushing yards on 18 carries, averaging 3.8 yards per attempt.
The penalties are a problem
If the G-Men want to be taken seriously, committing 10 penalties for 114 yards is a bad start. That’s just too many unforced errors for a team that can’t afford many of them. I’d expect Harbaugh to hammer that message home over the next couple of days at practice because... yikes.
Dru Phillips' penalty issues are becoming too much to ignore
Speaking of penalties, slot corner Dru Phillips was called three times for defensive pass interference. We can argue the validity of the calls (he barely breathed on CeeDee Lamb in the end zone), but he struggled with laundry last year, and this wasn’t necessarily the best showing in Week 1.
Phillips is far too important to become someone opposing quarterbacks can target and wait for a flag. Three DPIs in one game is something that needs to be cleaned up quickly.
Isaiah Likely is going to have a career year in 2026
Have a game, Isaiah Likely. Seriously. After signing a three-year, $40 million deal in free agency, the expectation was that the 6-foot-4, 240-pound tight end would be a featured weapon in Big Blue’s offense, and after the 26-year-old came through with an eight-reception, 78-yard, two-touchdown performance in Week 1, it’s never been more obvious that he’ll be exactly that.
Not bad for a guy who’s never had more than 42 receptions or 477 yards in a season before.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. is on the thinnest ice
Tyrone Tracy Jr. entered his third season with back-to-back 1,000-plus scrimmage-yard seasons, becoming the first Giant to accomplish that in his first two years since Saquon Barkley. He and Skatt were supposed to be the ultimate one-two punch this year for a team looking to have one of the best ground games in the league.
Then 2026 hit TTJ like a ton of bricks.
After making the roster following a preseason in which his spot was somewhat in doubt thanks to a couple of big screw-ups, Tracy took his struggles to the next level by fumbling on Big Blue’s third drive of the game. At the Dallas 20-yard line, no less. That was his last touch of the game.
Malik Nabers is back
Aside from being literally back from the torn ACL he suffered in Week 4 last year, fans got to see glimpses of the old Malik Nabers who set New York rookie receiving records.
Leek finished the game with six receptions for 69 receiving yards, but looked like he started to trust his legs more as the game went on. He had the same shiftiness and quickness that made him an instant star, consistently getting open and giving Dart his security blanket back.
Jaxson Dart looks like a different QB in Year 2
Jaxson Dart very much looked like he could become New York’s next franchise quarterback as a rookie. Week 1 of his second season only added more fuel to that fire.
After taking endless criticism over his lack of sliding or taking care of himself, you could see him actively keeping himself out of harm’s way and avoiding unnecessary hits. His footwork and timing looked much improved, too, with Dart completing several on-time throws through tight windows for big gains.
The 23-year-old finished the game 23-of-29 for 230 yards and three touchdowns, and 59 yards with his legs. Don’t look now, but the Giants might finally have something under center.
Giants might finally know how to protect a late-game lead
After Likely caught his second touchdown pass of the game, giving the Giants a 21-7 lead late in the third quarter, it was impossible not to wonder when things were going to go sideways.
Last year, Big Blue put on a clinic on how not to close a football game. Fourth-quarter leads disappeared far too often, turning games they had no business losing into a guaranteed addition to the loss column. Not this time. Coming away with a win is all that matters, but doing so against a division rival that’s had their number for the better part of a decade, in primetime, makes John Harbaugh’s first one feel a little sweeter.
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