The Cowboys open the 2026-27 NFL season with a lot riding on the first real test of the year: a Sunday Night Football trip to face the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in Week One.
Dallas has spent the offseason building up the roster and coaching staff, and that puts immediate pressure on the opener to set the tone for what the club hopes is a bounce-back season. The good news for the Cowboys is that Dak Prescott has usually handled NFC East opponents well. He owns a 14-3 career record against the Giants and is 37-10 against the division since entering the league in 2016.
That matters because the Cowboys are staring at a win total of 9.5, which is tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the highest mark in the NFC East. The Giants and Washington Commanders are both listed at 7.5, a setup that leaves little room for either of the top teams to stumble early if they want to keep control of the division race.
The market still gives Philadelphia the edge to win the division at +122, with Dallas right behind at +184, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. A $100 bet on the Cowboys to win the NFC East would return $184 if they get it done and reach the playoffs for the first time in three seasons with momentum.
There’s also a clear contrast with where Dallas stood a year ago. The Cowboys entered last season with a 7.5 win total and were as long as +750 to win the NFC East. That gap says plenty about the buzz around this team heading into 2026 and reflects the overhaul carried out by the front office.
And if Jerry Jones is to be believed, the work might not be finished yet.
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 🡒]