The New York Giants host the Dallas Cowboys tonight to open the Sunday Night Football schedule for 2026. The game has many moving parts, and how they will play out is going to be very interesting … but difficult to predict before the action.
Dak Prescott has had his troubles in the postseason, never advancing past the Divisional Round and only winning two Wild Card Games in his seven postseason contests. But, in the regular season, and particularly against NFC East Division opponents, Prescott is as good as anyone.
During his ten year career in Dallas Prescott has made 47 starts against NFC East teams and won 37 of them. He has at least a two to one winning edge against every team in the division, and his mark against the Giants is an eye-catching 14 and 3.
Tonight, betting against Prescott in an emotional season opening game versus the New York Giants is like playing Russian Roulette with a fully loaded revolver. Yet, the Giants have a side to consider too.
After 18 mostly successful seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, John Harbaugh becomes the Giants new head coach. At home, in his season opener, will provide the backdrop for a spirited New York performance.
Good enough to beat Dak and the Cowboys?
Well, that’s why they play the games.
The Giants are hoping Jaxson Dart develops into their franchise quarterback. He has shown signs that it is possible and yet has also looked like a young quarterback out of his league in other instances. The Giants dismal performances in recent seasons has had them collect a lot of highly rated talent in the draft. That is the advantage bad teams get, early draft choices.
Some organizations fumble their chance at top talent and remain also-rans in their division races. So far, recent season results have the Giants in this disappointing category.
Is Harbaugh the savior?
How long will it take to turn this squad into the kind of teams a couple past New York coaches accomplished with the Giants. Bill Parcells was a savior when he arrived in 1983, and during his eight years on the Giants sideline he led the team to a pair of Super Bowl wins. Four New York head coaches later the team hired Tom Coughlin in 2004. He led New York for a dozen campaigns and added two more Vince Lombardi Trophies to the Giants collection.
Whether Harbaugh has enough to work with to reach a Super Bowl in his first season is improbable. But being better than they have been in recent years could look a lot like the Parcells and Coughlin years.
Tonight, we get our first look, and I am in no way inclined to buck the more established winner with the Dallas Cowboys. Brien Schottenheimer is likely to pick up a win to open his second season as Dallas head coach, but I’m not willing to lay more than a field goal to back his chances.