Head coach John Harbaugh spent the offseason saying he wanted his New York Giants to be physically imposing. He ran a demanding summer training camp with that goal in mind, aiming to have his players fresh in the fourth quarter while opponents wore down. Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson said his unit would be unapologetically physical, violent, and imposing.
Those realities showed up Sunday night at MetLife Stadium.
The Giants opened the Harbaugh era with a 28-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys, winning at the line of scrimmage and controlling the clock. New York held the ball for 36 minutes and 40 seconds, rushed for 165 yards on 37 carries and converted nine of 11 third downs. Two second-half scoring drives each lasted more than eight minutes.
Dallas coach Brian Schottenheimer did not dress it up.
"Give Harbaugh and his team a bunch of credit. They were the more physical team tonight," Schottenheimer told reporters after the game. "That's certainly not our standard. That's certainly not how we see our identity playing. They shoved us around in the running game. We couldn't get the running game going on offense. Situationally, they were outstanding. They did a really good job of keeping the ball away from us in the second half. I think they had the ball for 36 minutes and 40 seconds. So, this is a humbling business. We got humbled tonight, and that's what I told the guys."
Asked what he credited that physical edge to, Schottenheimer again pointed at the Giants.
"Give them credit. I mean, there's no ways about it. They played more physical than we did," he said. "I told the guys it was a humbling game for us."
Cam Skattebo scored on a three-yard run to open the scoring. Jaxson Dart completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns and added 54 rushing yards. Isaiah Likely caught two scoring passes, and Devin Singletary added a nine-yard touchdown reception.
Schottenheimer called the result mile one of a 17-mile marathon and said his team would get back to work. For one night, the Giants were the more physical team, and Dallas left knowing it.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Cowboys' Brian Schottenheimer pulls no punches: Giants 'humbled' us
