New coach. New offense. New season. Same Cowboys.
The John Harbaugh era begins Sunday night at the Meadowlands with the Giants facing the team that has tormented them more than any other in recent years. Dallas has won 14 of Dak Prescott's 17 career starts against New York, but these aren't quite the same Giants. Jaxson Dart enters Year 2 after showing plenty of promise as a rookie, throwing 15 touchdown passes against five interceptions in 12 starts while adding 487 yards and nine scores on the ground.
Now he gets to work with Harbaugh in an offense expected to feature more power running, heavier personnel and a passing game designed to get the ball out efficiently. Whether Malik Nabers joins him remains one of the biggest questions of the weekend.
Nabers has practiced fully this week after tearing his ACL and meniscus last September, but neither he nor Harbaugh has committed publicly to his playing Sunday. Nabers acknowledged Thursday that even if he returns, his workload could be limited.
Andrew Thomas, meanwhile, has also practiced fully, potentially giving New York its cornerstone left tackle back for the opener.
Dallas looks different defensively. Christian Parker replaces Matt Eberflus as coordinator after spending the previous two seasons on Philadelphia's staff. The Cowboys also added Rashan Gary and first-round safety Caleb Downs, while Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark enter their first full season together in Dallas.
The Cowboys have their own significant absence up front, with Pro Bowl left guard Tyler Smith sidelined following thumb surgery. That makes the battle in the trenches particularly interesting for a Giants team Harbaugh wants to make considerably more physical.
It's Week 1, so nobody really knows what either revamped team is yet. Sunday night seems like a pretty good time to find out.
Giants vs Cowboys odds, moneyline, over/under
Opening lines:
- Spread: Cowboys -3
- Moneyline: Cowboys -157; Giants +136
- Total: 48
Get the edge with our exclusive NFL betting picks
Cowboys at Giants score predictions
Adam Kaufman: Cowboys 31, Giants 24
You've probably heard the numbers. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is 37-10 in his career against division foes, including a 14-3 mark against the Giants. New York is 1-10 versus Dallas in season openers, last winning in 2016. Expect more of the same. Big Blue may be good eventually, but it's going to take new head coach John Harbaugh some time to figure it out, especially if Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo continue to have a magnetic pull to the blue tent. Getting Malik Nabers back from last year's season-ending knee injury will be a big help as well, but we don't know if he's at full strength yet. The Cowboys are a known commodity. When healthy, Prescott is one of the league's better quarterbacks, and he has arguably the best receiver duo in football with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. The problem in 2025 was the defense. Dallas added Rashan Gary, Von Miller, Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence to a unit that already features Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark. It's always fun when these two teams get together. Jerry Jones may have the most fun of all.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: Cowboys 31, Giants 20
John Harbaugh's arrival was a legitimate boon for the wayward Giants. But the excitement might need to be put on pause after a potential reality check in the opener. A defense finding its way in the post-Dexter Lawrence world will have a difficult time conjuring any answers for one of the league's most explosive attacks. And while Jaxson Dart could stir up some excitement against an overhauled Dallas defense, things could get out of hand if New York falls into an early hole. Dak Prescott hasn't had much trouble with the Giants throughout his career, and it seems unlikely that will change at the start of the new season.
Nate Davis: Cowboys 29, Giants 23
These teams have met 11 times in Week 1, often in prime time – as will be the case Sunday night. The Giants have won … One of those matchups. Of course, 'SNF” also starts a new era for the G-Men under first-year coach John Harbaugh, who won't be cowed by his team's regrettable opening day history against Dallas. But he might be cowed by what appears to be a significant talent gap between the teams – even if the Giants appear to be a squad on the ascent.
Richard Morin: Cowboys 23, Giants 20
The Giants just have too much to prove before I can put them over the Cowboys in Week 1, even at home. I'm extremely interested in how the Giants progress this season and whether key players such as Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers are the right guys to lead New York into the future. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are relatively known commodities and are just a much safer pick to open the 2026 campaign with a win.
Where to watch Cowboys at Giants
- Matchup: Giants vs. Cowboys
- Date: Sept. 13
- Time: 8:20 p.m.
- Venue: MetLife Stadium
- Location: East Rutherford, New Jersey
- TV: NBC, Peacock
NFL Week 1 Sunday picks and predictions
- Buccaneers at Bengals
- Saints at Lions
- Jets at Titans
- Ravens at Colts
- Falcons at Steelers
- Bears at Panthers
- Browns at Jaguars
- Bills at Texans
- Dolphins at Raiders
- Packers at Vikings
- Commanders at Eagles
- Cardinals at Chargers
- Cowboys at Giants
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cowboys at Giants: Predictions, picks and odds for NFL Week 1 game
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