After an offseason of hope and a restocking of the defense that had been so terrible last season, the new-look Dallas Cowboys turned in an old-look performance against the New York Giants in the 2026 opener.
The Cowboys lost 28-20 while putting up little resistance to New York's second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.
That added up to a disheartening opener for Dallas, which expected to be much improved this season but didn't show that against a divisional rival that did look much improved under first-year coach John Harbaugh.
Here is how Dallas heads into its next game against another divisional rival, the Washington Commanders.
to practice squad
What was the score of the Dallas Cowboys game last night?
Dallas lost to the New York Giants 28-20.
Dallas Cowboys injury update
DeMarvion Overshown injury update
Dallas sustained two significant injuries of still-unknown severity. Safety Malik Hooker left the game in the third quarter with a forearm injury and in the fourth quarter oft-injured linebacker DeMarvion Overshown left with a hamstring injury.
Coach Brian Schottenheimer revealed that Hooker fractured his forearm, which could mean four weeks on the injured reserve. Overshown will require more testing on Monday, Sept. 14, to assess the extent of his injury. Overshown, who wore the green dot as the primary on-field play caller, was replaced by rookie Jaishawn Barham, who also took over green-dot duties.
Overshown is likely to be listed as questionable when the first injury report for the Commanders game comes out on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
Schottenheimer also said tailback Malik Davis, who was carted off the field during a Friday, Sept. 11, practice, suffered a non-contact hip injury and had surgery that will end his season before it began. Dallas elevated Israel Abanikanda from the practice squad and made recent acquisition Emari Demercado the new RB2. He had two carries for seven yards.
'We were pretty poor'
Dallas' reaction to the 28-20 Sunday Night Football loss to the New York Giants was predictable.
"I thought overall we were really, as a football team, we were pretty poor," Schottenheimer said in his postgame remarks. "Just give Coach Harbaugh and his team a bunch of credit. They were the more physical team tonight. That's certainly not our standard. That's certainly not how we see our identity playing."
He also pointed out Dallas' youth in the non-excuse excuse.
"One of the things, not an excuse guys, we did not play well, but you got young players…" Schottenheimer said. "Those are going to happen. And we have to coach the young players better, but when you play young players, it's part of the deal. And they need to learn quickly."
Dak Prescott cites bad interception for loss
Late in a poor first half, Dallas had clawed back into a 7-7 tie before quarterback Dak Prescott threw an ill-timed interception to Jevon Holland. That led to a Giants touchdown at the end of the half and the Cowboy trailed the rest of the way.
"The interception before half … that was crucial," Prescott said in his post-game comments.. "I'm trying to throw the ball away. (Holland) made a hell of a play. I've got to make sure it's out of bounds, though. I was surprised. One I'd want back, obviously.
"That was the game right there."
CeeDee Lamb reaches milestone
With his 42nd touchdown reception, a 1-yard catch in the second quarter, CeeDee Lamb passed Billy Joe Dupree for the eighth most touchdown catches in team history. Next on the list for him to catch is Cowboys legend Drew Pearson, who had 48 receiving touchdowns from 1973 to 1983.
Lamb finished the 28-20 loss against the New York Giants with five catches for 44 yards.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Dallas Cowboys news: Did the Dallas Cowboys win yesterday?
