The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants will open the 2026 NFL season Sunday night with one of the league’s most historic rivalries.
The Giants will host Dallas at MetLife Stadium for an 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff on NBC. Both teams enter the season with plenty of questions, making this primetime matchup an important first test.
Dak Prescott Leads Dallas Into Another Season
Dak Prescott remains the centerpiece of the Cowboys’ offense.
Prescott is coming off an impressive 2025 season in which he led the NFL with 404 completions while throwing for 4,552 yards and 30 touchdowns. He will have one of the league’s best receiving duos at his disposal with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
Dallas will also look to Javonte Williams to establish the running game. Williams rushed for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns last season and could be especially important with the Cowboys dealing with injuries along the offensive line.
If Prescott gets enough time, Dallas has the firepower to put serious pressure on New York’s secondary.
Jaxson Dart Begins His First Full Season
The Giants enter the game with a completely different quarterback situation.
Jaxson Dart is preparing to take over as New York’s starting quarterback after showing plenty of promise as a rookie. Dart threw for 2,272 yards and accounted for 24 total touchdowns last season.
He will be surrounded by a revamped offense under new head coach John Harbaugh. New York is expected to emphasize a physical running game while using play-action and short-to-intermediate passes to take pressure off Dart.
The biggest question is whether Malik Nabers will play. Nabers is still recovering from the ACL injury that ended his 2025 season and remains questionable despite practicing throughout the week.
If Nabers is available, he could dramatically change the matchup.
Two New Look Defenses
Both teams have made major changes defensively.
Dallas has completely overhauled its defense under new coordinator Christian Parker. The Cowboys added veteran defensive linemen Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark while selecting safety Caleb Downs 11th overall in the draft. Downs will make his NFL debut in one of the league’s biggest rivalries.
New York also upgraded its defense, adding linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and cornerback Greg Newsome II while selecting linebacker Arvell Reese with the fifth overall pick.
Brian Burns will be another player to watch after recording a career-high 16.5 sacks last season.
Key Matchup
The biggest matchup could be Dallas’ offensive line against the Giants’ pass rush.
If Burns and the Giants can pressure Prescott, New York has a chance to keep the game close. But if Prescott has time to throw to Lamb and Pickens, the Cowboys could quickly take control.
The Giants also need Dart to avoid costly mistakes against a Dallas defense that is much more talented than the unit that struggled last season.
This should be a fascinating opening-night rivalry game. The Giants have home-field advantage and a new coaching staff, but Dallas has the more proven quarterback and significantly more experience on offense.
Expect a competitive NFC East battle with Prescott and Dallas making enough plays late to steal a road victory.
