The New York Giants opened the John Harbaugh era on Sunday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium.
In recent years, Dallas has had a heavy presence in the building, but this year, Giants fans kept their tickets and rooted for their revitalized franchise.
Here's a look at some studs and duds from Sunday's 28-20 win over the Cowboys.
Stud: TE Isaiah Likely
We've been writing all spring and summer about how Likely could have a Travis Kelce-like role and effect in offensive coordinator Matt Nagy's offense, and, on Sunday night, the nation got a large taste of that. Likely made key catch after key catch, eight in all for 78 yards and two scores. It might just be a small sample of what to expect going forward.
Dud: RB Tyrone Tracy Jr.
The fumbling issues continued in this game
for Tracy, who coughed up the ball inside the Dallas 30, ending a possible scoring drive. It's a shame because Tracy has talent and can gain positive yards. He had rushes of six and eight yards in this game but was benched on offense after the fumble. He ended up lining up as a kick returner later in the game.
Stud: QB Jaxson Dart
The second-year signal-caller made some mistakes, but Jaxson Dart showed America that he can lead a team to a big win and stay out of the blue medical tent. Dart completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns while adding 54 yards on the ground. But it was the poise and the confidence he exuded in his first action in the Giants' new offense.
Dud: OL Jon Runyan Jr.
Maybe we're being a little unfair with Runyan, who got nailed for a false start on a third-and-4 at midfield, killing a drive. He actually played fairly well otherwise, and even recovered what could have been a damaging Jaxson Dart fumble. The run-blocking was excellent, and they moved the chains late in the game when they needed to.
Stud: WR Malik Nabers
In his first game back from a serious knee injury, Nabers showed very little rust. The Giants didn't ask too much of him right out of the gate, but what they did give him, he handled. He caught six of nine targets for 69 yards and came through the game with no setbacks.
Dud: Officiating crew
After watching this game, the NFL might want to redefine what constitutes a DPI (defensive pass interference) call. Several calls had onlookers scratching their heads, and others were blatantly missed. Giants running back Cam Skattebo had his face bloodied when his facemask was pulled across his face. No call. Granted, the game got chippy at times, but the officials were inconsistent for the most part in this one.
Stud: LB Tremaine Edmunds
It was Giants fans' first real look at Edmunds, who did not play in the preseason, which caused some trepidation. Their minds are. at ease now that they've seen what this defense looks like with Edmunds in the middle. He led the club with eight total tackles and showed why he is a Pro Bowl-level player.
Other Studs
- Rookie linebacker Arvell Reese had five total tackles and a QB hit. Safety Jevon Holland had a key interception at the end of the first half that led to a Giants touchdown. Cornerback Deonte Banks had four tackles and two passes defensed.
- On offense, running back Cam Skattebo ran for 81 yards on 18 carries and had the Giants' first touchdown of the season. Running back Devin Singletary did his thing, adding a spark to the running and passing attacks. He had a nine-yard touchdown reception. Fullback Patrick Ricard was a huge factor, blocking for the running game.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Studs and duds from New York Giants' Week 1 win over Dallas Cowboys
