Another season begins with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants battling each other to start 1-0 in the NFC East race. Lately it’s been the Cowboys getting the wins, especially when Dak Prescott is under center.
Things have a way of getting turned around when it comes to rivalries. Despite the Cowboys owning the matchups in the last 10 years, the Giants could be primed to make things more difficult. New York has made some significant changes this offseason that will challenge the Cowboys.
Here are three reasons to hate playing the Giants on Sunday night football to open the season.
Harbaugh brings hope
Despite dominating the games between the two teams recently, the Cowboys need to be wary of a Giants team that’s turned over their franchise to a Super Bowl winning
coach. John Harbaugh arrives with a winning pedigree and a 4-1 record against the Cowboys, who have been feasting on poor coaches in New York since Tom Coughlin left.
The Giants’ culture has changed with Harbaugh’s arrival, and the first matchup with a new regime always brings surprises. Harbaugh’s a veteran coach, but he hired Matt Nagy as his offensive coordinator, with whom he’s never worked with as his OC, and Dennard Wilson is a first-time defensive coordinator. That can make for the Cowboys seeing some things they haven’t seen from the Giants on both sides of the ball.
RB Cam Skattebo
The Cowboys have a new coordinator, new scheme and new players on their defense, all in an effort to end the misery of not being able to stop the run. They’ll face their first challenge in Skattebo and Giants’ new rushing attack.
Skattebo isn’t a top running back in the league yet, but he is a physical runner who’s focused on punishing the Dallas defense.
Kay Adams:
— Polymarket Football (@PolymarketBlitz) September 4, 2026
“First carry against the Cowboys, you tell me what that’s going to feel like.”
Cam Skattebo:
“It’s going to be punishment to the defense.”
(Via: @heykayadams) pic.twitter.com/Oz5kke7j3L
The second-year RB had a strong start to his career, averaging over four yards a carry and scoring seven touchdowns in his first eight games before a gruesome ankle injury ended his rookie season. If he continues down that path and has gotten better behind an improved line that includes 10th overall selection Francis Mauigoa, the Cowboys will have their hands full slowing down the run.
It’ll be a big test for Christian Parker and the Cowboys’ new look defense.
Lethal pass rush
The Giants haven't been doing many things well on defense, but they have excelled at getting after the quarterback with their stable of pass rushers. Led by veteran edge rusher Brian Burns, the Giants can bring pressure with a strong group of four.
Burns was second in the NFL last season with 16.5 sacks and had 22 tackles for a loss. He’s paired up with pass rusher Abdul Carter, who’s looking to make a significant second-year jump. Carter had just four sacks but a high number of pressures as a rookie, which could turn into more sacks this season.
The defense also has former top-five pick Kayvon Thibodeaux and this year’s fifth pick, Arvell Reese, to make life difficult for Prescott. Thibodeaux has 23.5 career sacks and Reese is coming off an All-American 2025 campaign where he had 10 sacks.
It’s a scary group of pass rushers to begin with, and when coupled with guard Tyler Smith’s absence, it could make things much tougher on the Cowboys’ offense.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 3 reasons to hate Cowboys' matchup vs Giants starts with coaching
