Updated

Updated · Courier Journal · Sep 14

Cowboys Open 2026 Sunday Night Football at Giants in Week 1 as NBC Airs 8:20 p.m. ET Kickoff

Updated

Updated · Courier Journal · Sep 14

Cowboys Open 2026 Sunday Night Football at Giants in Week 1 as NBC Airs 8:20 p.m. ET Kickoff

Q: Did the Giants genuinely dominate the opener, or did Dallas simply hand them the game through self-inflicted errors?

The Giants earned the win more than Dallas handed it to them, but it was not a wire-to-wire domination. New York was clearly the better-controlled team. Jaxson Dart was efficient and poised, throwing for 230 yards and three touchdowns while adding 54 rushing yards and avoiding the kind of disruptive hits and mistakes that marked parts of his rookie season. The offense was balanced, with Cam Skattebo giving them 81 rushing yards and Malik Nabers returning with six catches. Just as important, the Giants dictated tempo: they held the ball for 36:40, compared with Dallas’ 23:20, and repeatedly put together long drives, including scoring marches of more than six, eight and eight minutes. That said, the game never became a blowout on the field. Dallas stayed within reach into the fourth quarter, and the Cowboys had chances to swing it. Their own mistakes were decisive: Prescott’s interception before halftime helped flip momentum, the taunting penalty after Javonte Williams’ touchdown contributed to a missed extra point, and the late facemask penalty further damaged a comeback bid. Penalties also extended Giants possessions and undercut Dallas’ rhythm. So the fairest reading is that the Giants were the more composed, more efficient and more physical team, especially in ball control and situational execution. Dallas did not gift them the entire game, but the Cowboys’ self-inflicted errors are a major reason the margin held and the comeback never materialized.

3 articles · Updated · Courier Journal · Sep 14

MetLife Stadium hosts the first Sunday Night Football game of 2026 on Sept. 13, with Dallas visiting the Giants for an 8:20 p.m. ET Week 1 kickoff.
NBC carries the matchup nationally, while Peacock and NFL+ stream it, making the game the league’s Sunday night opener across broadcast and digital platforms.
Dallas enters after a 7-9-1 season and New York after a 4-13 finish, putting two NFC East teams coming off losing records in the prime-time spotlight.
The game caps Sunday’s Week 1 slate and precedes Monday Night Football on Sept. 14, when Denver visits Kansas City.