The Giants opened the 2026 NFL season the way every frustrated fan base wants to start: with a win, a clean offensive performance, and a quarterback who looked in control.
New York beat the Dallas Cowboys 28-20 in Week 1, and Jaxson Dart was a big reason why. He finished 23-of-29 for 230 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, while taking just two sacks for a loss of one yard. Cam Skattebo added 18 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown, Dart ran 11 times for 54 yards, Malik Nabers caught six of nine targets for 69 yards, and Isaiah Likely hauled in all eight of his targets for 78 yards and two touchdowns.
That kind of start is exactly what Giants fans were hoping to see under John Harbaugh. But ESPN analyst Ben Solak wasn’t ready to crown the offense after one week.
Solak said he thinks the Giants offense may have “already peaked” in Week 1, pairing that view with his own bold take about the Baltimore Ravens offense. He was impressed by Dart and the offensive line, but the opponent mattered to him.
“I thought Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart looked quite sharp and the offensive line looked ferocious, but I'd like to see them in a game in which the opposing defense has a bit more spine," Solak writes.
His point is simple: if the Cowboys’ defense doesn’t inspire much confidence, then a strong showing against it only tells part of the story. That’s why he’s not fully buying in yet.
Week 2 will bring a tougher test against the Los Angeles Rams. After that, the Giants’ schedule softens with the Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders, and New Orleans Saints lined up next. That stretch could make the offense look even better.
But Solak also pointed to a tougher run waiting later, with the Houston Texans, a bye week, and then the Philadelphia Eagles from Weeks 7 through 9. That’s where he thinks the Giants could come back down a bit.
For now, the Giants have the kind of start they badly needed. Whether this offense has truly arrived, or just flashed early against a shaky defense, is the question hanging over the next few weeks.
In Other News...
Rams Have One Bigger Concern Than An Ugly Week 1 Loss
The Rams Week 1 trip to San Francisco ended in a lopsided 27-7 loss, but the bigger takeaway for Sean McVays team was how uneven the overall showing felt on both sides of the ball. McVay said the lesson now is to absorb it, fix it and move on, because the opener offered too many reminders that this roster still has some early-season sorting out to do.
Matthew Stafford was held well below his standard, and the defense, under Chris Shulas zone-heavy approach and low blitz rate, never found enough answers to slow the 49ers. The Rams do have some relief on the horizon with Aaron Donalds possible return looming and depth along the defensive line, but the more immediate concern is whether the issues exposed in Week 1 are just opening-week rust or something more substantial. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Suddenly Have A Week 13 Problem Their Defense Knows Too Well
Kenneth Walker III is arriving at Week 13 with a familiar kind of warning label for the Rams. He just gashed the Broncos for 173 yards and two touchdowns, the sort of performance that turns a backfield into the centerpiece of a game plan, and Los Angeles is already bracing for what he can do next as it gets ready to face the Chiefs.
For the Rams, the timing is awkward because run defense has already been a point of emphasis after a shaky showing in Week 1. Walker is no longer with the Seahawks, but he remains exactly the kind of downhill challenge that can expose lingering issues in a defense still trying to tighten up against the ground game. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Can't Let Their Week 1 Surprise Create A Bigger Problem
A week after the Cardinals opened with a win over the Chargers, the division picture already feels like it is shifting around them, especially with Seattle next on the schedule. Mike LaFleur has kept the message simple, stressing that Arizona has to treat each week on its own and avoid getting pulled too far ahead by the noise that follows a surprise result.
For the Rams, the more immediate concern is what happens when a rough opener starts inviting bigger questions. Los Angeles drew scrutiny after a poor Week 1 performance, and the chatter around Myles Garrett has only added to the unease, with some league observers wondering about his fit and his readiness after he acknowledged he did not feel like his usual self in Australia. The Rams do not need the side issues becoming the story, but that is the pressure that comes with an early stumble. [Read more 🡒]