AT A GLANCE

The Giants opened up the 2026 season and the John Harbaugh era with a big 28-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. The offense picked up a first down on 90 percent of their third down attempts (9 of 10) and the defense held the Cowboys to under 4.0 yards per carry, which led to the Giants emerging with a big divisional victory to kick off the 2026 campaign.

UP NEXT

The Giants begin the season with back-to-back primetime games. The second will be a trip to Los Angeles for a Monday night matchup with the Rams, who fell to the 49ers, 27-7, in the NFL's first regular-season game played in Australia.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE OFFENSE

The big story heading into Sunday night was whether or not wide receiver Malik Nabers would be on the field for the season opener. The third-year wideout, who has been working his way back from the season-ending knee injury suffered in Week 4 of last year, was active for the season opener and caught a 9-yard pass on the opening drive. Nabers finished with 6 receptions for a 69 yards.

The Giants set the tone on their first drive of the game, going 83 yards in 10 plays and finishing with a three-yard touchdown run by Cam Skattebo. The second-year running back carried the ball 18 times for 81 yards (4.5 avg.) and the touchdown.

After totaling 24 touchdowns in 12 starts as a rookie, quarterback Jaxson Dart began his second NFL season with a big performance. Dart completed 23 of 29 pass attempts (79.3 percent) for 230 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions for a passer rating of 134.2. He also added 11 carries for 54 yards (4.9 avg.), with the final 3 attempts coming in victory formation.

The Giants converted on 9 of 10 third down attempts against the Cowboys prior to Dart's final kneel in victory formation to end the game.

The big offseason acquisition on the offensive side of the ball was tight end Isaiah Likely, who quickly showed why John Harbaugh brought him over from Baltimore. Likely caught 5 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown in the first half alone. He then opened up the second half with another touchdown catch, this time from 2 yards out. Likely finished as the game's leading receiver with 8 receptions for 78 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Running back Devin Singletary also made his presence felt in the season opener. He ran the ball 6 times for 16 yards, but added 4 receptions for 22 yards and was the recipient of Dart's third touchdown pass.

After nearly eight years, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. took the field at MetLife Stadium for the first time as a member of the Giants since December 2, 2018. Beckham, who did not record a catch, was introduced with the starting offense as he ran onto the field to a thunderous roar from the MetLife Stadium crowd.

"Hopefully, if I get that opportunity to run out and I could hear this stadium, which I feel like is just going to erupt, I think that'll be the moment where your chest tightens up a little bit and eyes might get a little watery," Beckham said to reporters Friday. "I just – I love this game and I've sacrificed my whole life for it. And I just want to give this city, this organization, these fans, every last bit of me. And yeah, whatever that is, I came to give it."

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE DEFENSE

Going up against a Cowboys offense that finished as one of the best units in the NFL last season, the Giants defense held Dak Prescott to just 72 passing yards in the first half. With just under a minute left in the first half, Jevón Holland came up with an impressive, sliding interception right in front of the side line to give the Giants the ball back. This led to the Dart to Likely touchdown before the half.

Prescott finished the game with 175 passing yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception

After struggling to stop the run last season, the defense showed improvements in the run game against the Cowboys. Running back Javonte Williams carried the ball 12 times for 41 yards, good for an average of 3.4 yards per carry, and a touchdown. Overall, the Giants held the Cowboys to 18 carries for 69 yards (3.8 avg.) and the one score.

Linebacker Arvell Reese made his official NFL debut in the primetime matchup. The No. 5 overall pick recorded 5 solo tackles, 1 tackle for loss and 1 quarterback hit. In the week leading up to Sunday's game, defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson discussed how impressed he's been with the 21-year-old.

"The guy shows up every day," Wilson told reporters Thursday. "He does what he's asked to do. He runs and hits. He can catch the ball when it comes to him. He understands the defense. He's a quick learner. And I think that as he keeps playing football and keeps playing games, he's just going to get better and better. So, he'll stack days, and at the end of the day, we'll see where he's at. But he's just trying to be the best today, get better tomorrow and keep growing. And that's all we expect from him."

Reese's running mate in the middle of the defense, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, led the defense with 8 total tackles (7 solo).

Cornerback Deonte Banks, who dealt with cramping in the second half but returned to the game, registered 4 solo tackles and 2 passes defensed.

Outside linebackers Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux added 1 quarterback hit apiece.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT SPECIAL TEAMS

Undrafted rookie Dominic Zvada won the kicking competition that at one point featured Ben Sauls, who finished last season as the Giants' kicker, and Jason Sanders, a former All-Pro. The first-team All-American kicker out of Michigan earned his spot after a strong performance throughout training camp and the preseason.

In his first NFL game, Zvada did not try a field goal but connected on all 4 of his extra point attempts.

"The only time you truly feel pressure, I believe, is if you're not prepared for the moment," assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Chris Horton said Thursday about the rookie kicker. "He's prepared for the moment. We put him in these situations every day. And, again, it's practice. He goes out there, he's kicked in the stadium. He's done well this preseason. We allow him to go out there and be himself and just go kick and don't worry about anything. Go be you."

Jordan Stout had just 1 punt in his Giants debut, which went for 46 yards and pinned the Cowboys inside the 20-yard line.

Braxton Berrios served as the team's punt returner but did not register a return. He did return 1 kickoff for 28 yards, while Banks had 2 kickoff returns for 37 yards.

INJURY REPORT

NYG: N/A

DAL: LB DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring), S Malik Hooker (forearm)

INACTIVES

NYG: RB Najee Harris, S Jason Pinnock, CB Nic Jones, OL J.C. Davis, TE Thomas Fidone II, DL Bobby Jamison-Travis, WR Dalen Cambre

DAL: CB Calen Carson, RB Israel Abanikanda, OLB Tyrus Wheat, OT Ajani Cornelius, WR Camden Brown

ROSTER MOVES

NYG: WR Dalen Cambre (signed to active roster from practice squad), WR Braxton Berrios (standard elevation), LB Malik Harrison (standard elevation)

DAL: RB Mail Davis (placed on injured reserve), RB Israel Abanikanda (signed to active roster from practice squad)

GIANTS GAMEDAY CAPTAINS

Week 1 vs. DAL: OLB Brian Burns, DL Chauncey Golston, P Jordan Stout, OT Andrew Thomas

Preseason Week 3 at NYJ: LG Jon Runyan, S Tyler Nubin, LB Zaire Barnes

Preseason Week 2 at MIA: QB Jameis Winston, LB Micah McFadden, CB Greg Newsome II

Preseason Week 1 vs. MIN: QB Jaxson Dart, P Jordan Stout, OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux