The Cowboys open their 2026 season under the lights Sunday night, and the first test comes against a Giants team that has changed plenty since Dallas last saw it. The favorite tag still sits with the Cowboys, but Week 1 in New York is hardly the kind of spot you stroll into and assume will go smoothly.
A big reason for that is the pass rush Dallas is about to face. Terence Steele and Tyler Guyton will be front and center against Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and Kayvon Thibodeaux, a trio that gives the Giants a real edge on the outside.
Guyton has turned heads throughout camp, but that still has to translate when the games count. Steele, meanwhile, is coming off a camp where his consistency was called out by head coach Brian Schottenheimer, and Broderick Jones is waiting in the wings after joining the roster.
Jones is not expected to handle a major role this Sunday, which puts even more pressure on the Cowboys’ current tackles to keep the pocket from collapsing.
The last time these teams met in a meaningful early-season setting, Dallas had all it could handle. In Week 2 last year, Russell Wilson lit up the Cowboys for 450 passing yards and three touchdown throws, and New York piled up 506 total yards.
Dallas needed a 64-yard Brandon Aubrey kick just to force overtime before escaping with a 40-37 win. That version of the Cowboys defense spent most of 2025 looking shaky, and the secondary’s communication issues were one of the biggest problems.
Christian Parker is in as the new defensive coordinator, and the scheme and personnel are different now, but the unit still has to stay aligned and avoid the breakdowns that burned them a year ago.
There is also a clear edge for Dallas in the run game. The Giants were 31st against the run in 2025, and they are now without Dexter Lawrence after his trade to the Cincinnati Bengals.
New York does have D.J. Reader, and John Harbaugh has a track record of doing well against the run, but the Cowboys still have the better setup here even with Tyler Smith on IR after thumb surgery.
That puts a lot on Williams, who ran for 1,210 yards in his first season with Dallas. If he can set the tone on the ground, it takes pressure off Dak Prescott and helps unlock the passing game.
Dallas wants the explosive plays, but the path to those starts with the basics: protecting Prescott, staying connected on defense, and letting Williams control the pace. Prescott is 14-3 in his career against the Giants, though last season’s Week 18 loss is not the kind of result Dallas can read too much into, since both teams were already out of playoff contention by then.
Week 1 is different, and the Cowboys know they need to handle it that way.
In Other News...
Cowboys Enter Week 1 With A Tight End Problem
As the Cowboys get ready for their regular-season opener against the Giants, the tight end room is already looking thinner than anyone around the team would like. Luke Schoonmaker sat out practice with his status still unclear, while practice squad tight end Michael Trigg is rehabbing a toe injury, leaving Dallas to sort through a position group that has taken a hit before the games even start.
Princeton Fant and DJ Rogers are both on injured reserve, which is why the Cowboys may need to look at a practice squad move just to keep the depth chart functional. One possible answer is James Mitchell, who could be elevated if Dallas decides it needs another body at tight end for Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
John Harbaugh Is Already Turning Up The Tension Before Cowboys Opener
With Sunday nights opener against the Cowboys looming, John Harbaugh is already treating the week like a chess match. The Giants coach declined to get into game plans or specific player details at his press conference, making it clear he sees no value in handing over any competitive edge before the season even begins. It is the kind of early-week posture that tends to sharpen the edge around a division game, especially when two teams know each other well.
Harbaughs guarded approach comes as reports have also pointed to some pointed evaluations of quarterback Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo during camp. For Dallas, that only adds another layer to a game that already carries plenty of attention, with the Cowboys opening against a rival that appears intent on keeping every meaningful card close to the vest. The questions around how much the Giants are willing to reveal will wait until kickoff, and maybe well after it. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys May Have Found A Scary New Way To Use George Pickens
The Cowboys are already thinking ahead to 2026, and George Pickens is central to the plan. After a strong first season in Dallas, the wide receivers role could grow in ways that make the offense less predictable, with the team looking to move him around more and use him in different alignments instead of keeping him in one familiar spot.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer wants the passing game to create more problems for defenses, and Pickens versatility could be a big part of that approach. Dallas is hoping that a more varied deployment, including more work in the slot, can build on a season in which Pickens piled up 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns and turn an already dangerous weapon into something even harder to track. [Read more 🡒]