The New York Giants will kick off the John Harbaugh era under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football, hosting the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 13 at MetLife Stadium. The opener is set for 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC, and the Giants enter it as 2.5-point home underdogs, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
It’s a big stage for a team trying to change its own narrative fast. New York is 13-38 over the past three seasons, and this matchup gives the Giants an immediate chance to show that the roster overhaul and coaching change mean something right away. The last time these two teams met in a season-opener was 2023, when Dallas rolled to a 40-0 win.
One of the biggest questions hanging over the week is Malik Nabers. As of now, his availability for Week 1 remains unclear, and that figures to be one of the main storylines leading into kickoff.
On Tuesday, Nabers was not on the field at the start of practice for stretching warmups and individual work. He stayed inside with training staff while reporters were present.
When the media viewing window ended about 20 minutes into practice, Nabers was seen in full uniform heading to the field.
There’s also a lot riding on how the Giants handle the moment overall. Joe Schoen has said the team should be ‘competitive week in and week out’, and the optimism around the 2026 Giants comes from both Harbaugh’s presence and a roster that has been reshaped. Still, the numbers from the recent past are hard to ignore: New York has won just seven games combined over the last two seasons.
Jaxson Dart also offered a note of confidence this week when he talked about the Giants’ defense. Asked about not having game action for nearly a month before the opener, the quarterback said the unit gave him ‘best reps I could possibly get’.
In Other News...
Giants Suddenly Have A Receiver Decision They Can't Play Safe
Calvin Austin IIIs season-ending ACL injury changed the Giants receiver picture in a hurry, creating a hole the staff can no longer cover by simply spreading snaps around and hoping for the best. With depth suddenly under pressure, the team now has to decide how to replace Austins work in a way that helps the offense in the short term while still giving it a real chance to learn something about the players behind him.
Malachi Fields has pushed his way into that conversation after a strong preseason, and the next step may be less about easing him in than about giving him a clearer lane to show what he can handle. The Giants have reason to be cautious with a young receiver group, but this is also the kind of opening that can force a more honest evaluation of who belongs in a larger role. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Need More Than Familiarity From Darnell Mooney Now
Darnell Mooneys path into the Giants offense comes with a built-in advantage, at least on paper. General manager Joe Schoen pointed to Mooneys productive years under Matt Nagy, noting that the receiver already knows the system and could be able to help after Calvin Austin IIIs injury opened the door for more competition at the position.
The Giants, though, still have to find out whether that familiarity turns into something useful on game day. Mooney is on the active roster and is expected to compete for playing time, but the real question is whether his past with Nagy can translate into meaningful contributions in this offense, where experience is only part of the equation. [Read more 🡒]
Darnell Mooney Suddenly Has A Giants Chance He Can't Waste
A season-ending injury to Calvin Austin III has suddenly opened the door for Darnell Mooney to step into a much larger role with the Giants, and the timing could hardly be more important. Mooney is now positioned to be the primary slot receiver, giving him a chance to become a real part of the offense rather than just another name on a crowded depth chart.
The fit is not entirely new for him, either. Mooney has played in the slot before under offensive coordinator Matt Nagy during their time together in Chicago, so the Giants are not asking him to learn everything from scratch. Even after a quiet preseason and some early uncertainty about his roster spot, the teams depleted wide receiver group should give him opportunities this season, which is why this chance feels so significant. [Read more 🡒]