Similar to the season that came before, the Dallas Cowboys began this new football year with a crippling division loss. Falling to the New York Giants, 28-20, Dallas provided a masterclass in unforced errors and defensive ineptitude.
By the time Dak Prescott and the vaunted offense found its rhythm, it was too late. Despite scoring touchdowns on every possession of the second half, the Dallas defense couldn’t stop Jaxon Dart’s offense down the stretch.
It was a game made up of penalties, miscues, and unmatched physicality. But four downs in particular, served as pivotal moments in the Cowboys' opening week loss to the Giants. They were four plays that deserve further attention. Some of those plays need to be addressed and corrected, but some are
just some good, old fashioned bad luck.
Down No. 1: Easy Pickens
With the score tied 7-7 in the second quarter, the Cowboys were fresh off a fumble recovery to steal possession, and hopefully, tip the balance. In a 2nd-and-4 situation following a 6-yard run by Javonte Williams, Prescott aired it out to George Pickens deep down the sideline. Pickens dropped a perfectly placed ball.
George Pickens drops a Dak dime
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 14, 2026
2nd drop of the gamepic.twitter.com/Z195QO39Wv
The play itself didn’t represent a monumental shift in momentum or win percentage, but what followed four plays later was a tide turner, of which, the Cowboys never recovered. It was here, with less than a minute remaining in the half, where Prescott threw his only interception of the afternoon.
While Prescott deserves all the blame in the world for his reckless turnover, it was a moment that was made possible by the tremendous missed opportunity just a few plays before.
Down No. 2: New defense – same result
Just in case anyone was feeling nostalgic for the Matt Eberflus era, Christian Parker did his best to offer up a familiar sight to fans as the first half drew to a close. With just 58 seconds on the clock, the Cowboys allowed the Giants to pick apart their soft zone coverage all the way to paydirt. It was the touchdown play in particular that was the icing on the cake.
Isaiah Likely hauls in his first TD as a Giant!
— NFL (@NFL) September 14, 2026
DALvsNYG on NBC/Peacock
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/FVcsGIrPsG
On 2nd-and-5 with 25 seconds to go, Dart hit Isaiah Likely for a 15-yard touchdown on a blown coverage. In what appeared to be quarters coverage with MOD (man outside and deep) responsibilities, no one bothered to cover Likely as he broke to the outside corner of the endzone. The play resulted in a 3.0 EPA for New York, setting the Giants up to "double-dip" as they scored touchdowns to close the first half and open the second half.
Down No. 3: Sometimes the way the ball bounces
Luck wasn’t on the Cowboys’ side Week 1 either. With the score 21-14, in New York’s favor, Cam Skattebo fumbled the ball at the 12:04 mark of the third quarter. Bouncing directly back into his wantful arms, he recovered his own drop, collecting a first down and 1.1 in EPA in the process. DeMarvion Overshown was also injured on the play.
Cam Skattebo recovers his own fumble for the FIRST DOWN! 👀
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 14, 2026
📺 Cowboys at Giants on NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/pQWAdpminV
Instead of being a change of possession, this drive sustained and scored, eating up clock and allowing the Cowboys offense only two possessions in the second half. The Cowboys forced four fumbles on the night, but only recovered one. This final almost-turnover had the largest consequences.
Down No. 4: Playing the fools
Headlining what could be a weekly series titled, “What were you thinking?” Javonte Williams committed what could have been a catastrophic penalty when he taunted his way to the endzone running in a 17-yard touchdown reception with 5:26 remaining in the fourth. His 15-yard penalty resulted in a missed extra point by Brandon Aubrey, keeping Dallas behind by eight.
Javonte Williams got called for taunting after scoring a Cowboys TD, leading to the XP try being 15 yards longer. Brandon Aubrey then missed the 48-yard kick
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 14, 2026
Cris Collinsworth: "It's just. It's just... insanity."
Mike Tirico: "Completely unnecessary, and it cost his team." pic.twitter.com/xvgzciGmVk
If the Cowboys would have stopped New York on their final drive – which of course, they didn’t – this would have been one more enormous hurdle for the Cowboys to overcome. Not only would they have to drive the length of the field for a touchdown, but they’d have to score a 2-point conversion just to tie the game. With a conversion rate of just 41 percent in the NFL, a 2-point conversion is not an ideal situation to put one’s team.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Four Downs: The 4 pivotal plays that determined Cowboys’ 28-20 loss to Giants
