The Dallas Cowboys opened the season with a loss to the New York Giants, and that was enough to send the usual noise right back up around a roster carrying some of its biggest expectations in recent memory. A 28-20 defeat on Sunday night is not the kind of start that calms anybody down, especially when the hype has already been baked in for months.
Michael Irvin isn’t ready to join the pile-on.
The former Cowboys wide receiver, now working as an analyst, pushed back hard during a back-and-forth with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s First Take, and he did it by reaching outside football for his example. Irvin pointed to the Miami Heat’s star trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh as proof that elite groups can need time before everything clicks.
“I’ve seen greatness come together in Miami with LeBron, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade," Irvin said. "It took time for them to get together and get it right!
And so now these guys, the first game, you can't give them no time to get it right? I'm just trying to understand this!"
Irvin’s point was simple: one game is too soon to declare the Cowboys’ lofty profile a mirage. And there’s some logic there, even after a loss to a division rival with a new head coach, John Harbaugh, who came out looking sharp in the opener.
Still, the Cowboys’ defensive issues on Sunday night were hard to ignore, and they’re the kind of problems that have to get cleaned up fast if Dallas wants to be taken seriously as an NFC contender.
In Other News...
Giants Fans Are All Saying The Same Thing About NBCs Booth
A curious broadcast moment during Sunday Night Football ended up drawing as much attention as the game itself, thanks to a mid-sentence burst from Cris Collinsworth that got clipped and shared all over social media. During the Giants-Cowboys telecast, Collinsworth let out an unexpected ehhh!!! on the air, and it was just unusual enough to send fans into detective mode about what was happening in NBCs booth.
For Giants followers, the bigger intrigue may be how quickly a small on-air hiccup turned into a full round of speculation about the dynamic between Collinsworth and Mike Tirico. No official explanation has come from either broadcaster, and theres nothing to suggest anything beyond a professional working relationship, which makes the clip more odd than ominous. Still, in a game full of familiar stakes, it was the booth moment that had a lot of people talking after the broadcast ended. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Skattebo Return Sparked A Giants Controversy Fans Wont Ignore
Cam Skattebos return gave the Giants a much-needed jolt after he worked his way back from a right ankle dislocation and fractured fibula. Against the Cowboys, he handled 17 carries for 73 rushing yards and scored a touchdown, showing the kind of physical, tone-setting presence New York has been missing in the backfield. He even had to navigate a scrappy game within the game, committing a fumble and then recovering it himself as the Giants tried to keep their footing.
The bigger talking point, though, came on a hit away from the usual flow of the offense, when Skattebo was punched in the kidney by a Cowboys player and no penalty was called. It was the kind of moment that can linger after the final whistle, especially in a rivalry game where every collision gets magnified. For the Giants, the encouraging part is obvious: Skattebo looked like a player they can build around again. The frustration is just as clear, and it is not going away quietly. [Read more 🡒]
Paulson Adebos Push For A Giants Starting Role Hit Trouble Fast
Paulson Adebos bid to carve out a starting role for the Giants has run into an early snag. He saw only a brief stint against the Cowboys, and on a third-and-12 he gave up a 15-yard completion, another reminder that the cornerback competition around him has tightened since training camp.
Adebo came into camp with a chance to push for first-team work, but the job has gone to Greg Newsome II and Deonte Banks for now. He sits third on the depth chart, which leaves him in a tricky spot: he still has time to climb back into the conversation, but only if his play sharpens or the guys ahead of him slip. [Read more 🡒]