The New York Giants opened a new chapter Sunday night with one of the performances their fans had been waiting to see.
Playing before a national television audience at MetLife Stadium, the Giants defeated the rival Dallas Cowboys 28-20, giving new head coach John Harbaugh a victory in his first regular-season game with New York and starting the 2026 season at 1-0.
More significant than the final score was the manner in which New York won. The Giants controlled possession, ran the football effectively, converted crucial third downs and repeatedly kept Dallas’ offense watching from the sideline.
At the center of the performance was second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart, who delivered one of the strongest games of his young NFL career.
Dart completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, finishing with a 134.2 passer rating. He was equally troublesome for Dallas with his legs, rushing 11 times for another 54 yards.
The performance was especially encouraging for a Giants organization hoping Dart can develop into its long-term answer at quarterback.
He didn’t need spectacular deep throws to control the game. Instead, Dart consistently took what Dallas gave him, extended drives with his mobility and distributed the football efficiently.
His biggest connection came with one of New York’s major offseason additions.
Tight end Isaiah Likely, who followed Harbaugh from Baltimore to New York, immediately demonstrated why the Giants wanted him. Likely caught eight passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns, emerging as Dart’s leading receiver.
Likely’s first touchdown arrived with only 25 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
The opportunity came after Giants safety Jevón Holland intercepted Dak Prescott late in the half. New York capitalized immediately, and Dart found Likely for a 15-yard touchdown that sent the Giants into halftime leading 14-7.
The Giants then delivered another blow immediately after halftime.
Dart directed a 12-play, 74-yard drive and connected with Likely again, this time for a two-yard touchdown that extended New York’s advantage to 21-7.
Dallas responded with a one-yard Javonte Williams rushing touchdown, but the Giants refused to surrender control.
In the fourth quarter, Dart and the offense constructed another long possession. After repeatedly using his legs early in the drive, Dart eventually connected with Devin Singletary for a nine-yard touchdown, giving New York a 28-14 advantage.
Dallas made one final push.
Prescott found Williams for a 17-yard touchdown with 5:26 remaining. But Williams was penalized for taunting after the score, pushing the extra-point attempt back 15 yards. Kicker Brandon Aubrey then missed the longer attempt, leaving Dallas eight points behind at 28-20.
The Cowboys never touched the football again.
New York took possession with 5:16 remaining and methodically drained the rest of the clock, finishing the evening with Dart kneeling in victory formation.
That final drive summarized the entire game.
The Giants possessed the football for 36 minutes, 40 seconds, compared with only 23:20 for Dallas. New York accumulated 394 total yards to Dallas’ 244 and rushed for 165 yards.
Even more impressive was New York’s work on third down. Before the final kneel-down sequence, the Giants had converted first downs on nine of their first 10 third-down opportunities.
Running back Cam Skattebo, returning after the ankle injury that ended his 2025 rookie season, contributed 81 yards on 18 carries and scored New York’s first touchdown on a three-yard run in the opening quarter.
Malik Nabers also made a successful return, catching six passes for 69 yards after missing significant time. Together with Likely, Skattebo and Dart, his presence gave the Giants an offensive balance that Dallas struggled to contain.
For the Cowboys, Prescott finished 22 of 34 for 175 yards, two touchdowns and the costly interception. CeeDee Lamb caught five passes for 44 yards and a touchdown, while Williams accounted for both a rushing and receiving score.
Dallas’ larger problem was simply getting the football back.
Its revamped defense struggled to stop New York on third down, generate consistent pressure or contain the Giants’ rushing attack. Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams specifically pointed to the inability to get off the field on third down as one of the central problems after the game.
For New York, the victory carries additional significance because of its recent history against Dallas.
The Cowboys had dominated much of the rivalry in recent years, winning 16 of the previous 17 meetings before New York’s victory in the 2025 regular-season finale. Sunday’s result therefore gives the Giants consecutive victories over Dallas and an early divisional win to begin 2026.
It also provided an immediate validation of the changes made during the offseason.
Harbaugh arrived after 18 seasons leading the Baltimore Ravens and brought with him an emphasis on physical football, disciplined preparation and controlling games at the line of scrimmage.
One game cannot determine whether the Giants have completed their turnaround. New York committed 10 penalties for 114 yards and lost one of four fumbles—mistakes that could become costly against stronger opponents.
But for one Sunday night, the transformation was visible.
The Giants were more physical. Their young quarterback was composed. Their running game controlled the clock. Their defense produced the game’s pivotal turnover. And when Dallas needed the football for one final opportunity, New York simply refused to give it back.
The result was Giants 28, Cowboys 20—and a 1-0 beginning to the John Harbaugh era.
New York now turns its attention to another prime-time challenge. The Giants travel to California to face the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, September 21, at SoFi Stadium.
The Haitian Tribune | Sports
