4 Things That Defined Giants' Week 1 Win Over the Cowboys

The New York Giants took control of their Week 1 game against the Dallas Cowboys, and they never looked back.

The 28-20 victory marks the first win in the John Harbaugh era, and it gave Giants fans plenty to be excited about as the season progresses. Big Blue stood toe-to-toe with its division rival and won in almost every facet of the game.

But even a game largely controlled by one team can come down to a few plays.

These four plays determined the game's course, giving New York an early grasp of the momentum and carrying it through the final whistle.

Abdul Carter's Physicality Set the Tone

New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The first play from scrimmage was one of the game's most important moments. The Cowboys attempted an outside run to the left, but Carter tracked it down from his spot as the backside edge defender to make a physical tackle for no gain.

That tackle set the tone from the start. The Giants won this game with physicality, first and foremost. Harbaugh and his staff seemed determined to take control of the trenches, and the players delivered with an intensity that the team lacked in 2025.

The Giants allowed just 69 rushing yards to a Cowboys offense that averaged 125.6 rushing yards per game last season. This improvement was the deciding factor in this game, and it started from the first play from scrimmage.

Jaxson Dart's Long Run Opened up the Game

Sep 13, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) scrambles with the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

All offseason, analysts questioned whether Dart would continue to run the ball at a high rate after a rookie year full of visits to the blue medical tent. Dart's 86 rushing attempts, including 28 designed runs, were a consistent feature of New York's 2025 offense.

Harbaugh has no plans to limit Dart's impact on the ground. On the Giants' first drive of the game, Dart pulled the ball on a read option and took off down the sideline with Isaiah Likely as his lead blocker. After running untouched for 22 yards, he stepped out of bounds and took a late hit from a Cowboys defender for another 15 yards.

The 37-yard gain put the Giants in the red zone. A few plays later, Cam Skattebo scored the first touchdown of the game.

Dart ran the ball 11 times for 54 yards in this game. His dual-threat ability looks like it will be a featured part of Matt Nagy's offense.

Jevon Holland's INT Set Giants Up to Take Control

New York Giants safety Jevon Holland (8) celebrates after a interception during a week one opening game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys at Metlife Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in East Rutherford, NJ. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Near the end of the first half, the game was deadlocked at 7-7. Both offenses were finding their rhythm. The Cowboys were attempting to drive down the field one last time in the first half. But with less than a minute left in the second quarter, Dak Prescott threw an interception that would change the game.

Kayvon Thibodeaux pressured Prescott as he rolled out to his right on third down. He lofted a ball deep down the sideline that might as well have been a throwaway with no receiver in the area. But Holland flew across the field, making a sliding interception.

The Giants then drove down the field, finishing the half off with Isaiah Likely's first touchdown catch of the day.

That drive, created by Holland's interception, put Big Blue in control of the game.

Holland turned in a mediocre start to his Giants tenure in 2025, earning a PFF coverage grade of just 53. This interception may have turned both New York's Week 1 game and Holland's Giants career around.

Devin Singletary TD Put the Game Out of Reach

Sep 13, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants running back Devin Singletary (26) carries the ball for a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In the middle of the fourth quarter, with a one-score lead, the Giants were driving down the field. On a third and long on the edge of field goal range, they discovered a weakness in the Cowboys' defense. Dart dumped a pass off to Singletary in the flat, and the veteran running back was able to pick up the first down.

Dart threw that checkdown to Singletary three times in the span of just four plays. The third time, Singletary walked into the end zone untouched for the touchdown that put the Giants up by a score of 28-14.

Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy put on a masterclass in taking what the defense gave him throughout the game, and this four-play sequence was the clearest example.

With a two-touchdown lead deep into the fourth quarter, New York was able to maintain control throughout the rest of the game.

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