NY Giants Try to Make Sense of Gut-wrenching Overtime Loss to Cowboys

The Giants were their own worst enemy on Sunday.

Sep 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll looks on during warmups before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The New York Giants put forth their best foot in their Week 2 game against the Dallas Cowboys, but it wasn’t good enough, as they fell 40-37 in overtime. 

"That was a tough one," head coach Brian Daboll said after the game. “Guys left it all out on the field; it's a tough result."

Despite quarterback Russell Wilson silencing the critics with 450 passing yards and three touchdowns, Big Blue lost to Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott for a 14th consecutive time, dropping to 0-2 for the sixth time in the last eight seasons.

The game was littered with a whopping 14 penalties, four of which were committed by James Hudson III on the opening drive alone. The defense, which started strong, deteriorated over the course of the game, and the Giants again struggled in the red zone, going one of five. 

New York has experienced many "tough ones" during the last decade, with a long field goal frequently serving as the dagger of choice in this seemingly endless cycle of heartbreak. A troubling number of penalties is also a recurring theme during this stretch. Until the team plays with more discipline, these brutal defeats will likely continue.

However, the Giants certainly did show fight inside AT&T Stadium. Wilson linked up with star wide receiver Malik Nabers for a spectacular, go-ahead 48-yard touchdown with just 25 seconds left in regulation. 

The mood drastically changed about 20 minutes later, but the fourth quarter is evidence of growth.

NY Giants take a step in the right direction

"I know our guys gave everything they had," Wilson told reporters after the game.

"We're in a 17-round fight, and we've battled in the first and second round, and we've got more to do... To be able to answer the way we did... I've been part of a lot of crazy games, I don't know if I've been part of something that crazy {with} that much grit."

While there are still inexcusable mistakes that the coaching staff and players must clean up, resilience is a vital quality that every successful franchise must embody. Perhaps this was the long-awaited start to a competitive run of Giants football.

Sep 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3) passes the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

"We can take good things we learned from this game," receiver Malik Nabers said after recording nine receptions for 167 yards and two touchdowns. "Take the bad, try to switch it up."

The offense can certainly take pride in the massive leap it made in this Week 2 defeat, but the defense once again failed to perform to its full capabilities.

Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen continues to face intense scrutiny for underperforming his pass-rushing group and the run defense, which allowed Dallas to rack up almost five yards per rushing attempt on the ground.

"I don't think we played badly; we just had too many penalties," defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II said. "If you watched the game, I think we were playing well. We had good stops. We just gave them too many chances."

The Giants will try (again) to put everything together in their home opener next Sunday night against a Kansas City Chiefs team that should have many frustrations to take out after starting 0-2 themselves.

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