Giants hold on for win over Cowboys in stirring start to John Harbaugh…
All the numbers that inform a tragic story about the Giants now might be filed under the headline “BJH.”
Before John Harbaugh.
You may need heard that the Giants had misplaced eight straight Week 1 primetime games against the Cowboys since 1986. Or that they hadn’t held an above .500 file in 51 games and 1,331 days. Or that they had been 1-14 in their past 15 games against Dak Prescott. Or that they opened with a loss in eight of the past 9 years. Or that that they had not received at dwelling in Week 1 since 2010.
None of the past lowlights mattered during an electrical Sunday night time at MetLife Stadium as the imperfect however bullish Giants overcame 4 fumbles (one misplaced), rushed for 166 yards and arrange Jaxson Dart to seem like a snug point guard distributing the ball to tandem weapons Malik Nabers and Isaiah Likely in a 28-20 victory to mark Harbaugh’s debut.
“We have guys in here that expect to win,” Nabers said after his first game since Sept. 28, 2025. “During the walk-through, I looked in everybody’s eyes … and I could tell they were ready to play. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that we were coming out to put our best foot forward and win the game.”
Harbaugh and this younger roster in want of being taught how to win had been supposed to combust with a fourth-quarter lead.
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) is all smiles after tight end Isaiah Likely (9) completes a reception for a landing during the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
But it turns out that multiplying double negatives like Harbaugh’s 18 blown double-digit second-half leads over 18 years with the Ravens — no other head coach has more since not less than 1991, though few have loved the longevity or success to coach that many games with a lead — plus the Giants’ 5 blown fourth-quarter leads last season outcomes in a constructive.
“We were out there feeling the fans,” edge rusher Brian Burns said. “Really feel that energy and let it fuel you.”
The Giants spent the last 110 seconds in the victory formation as a rejuvenated fan base waved its white towels and remembered joyfully that visitors occurs in the parking heaps right here while you don’t head for the exits in the third quarter.
New York Giants tight end Isaiah Likely #9 completes a reception for a landing during the first half against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“None of us were tired,” proper deal with Jermaine Eluemunor said. “At the end of the fourth quarter, they had to huddle up. When you see a team huddle up, that’s when you know you are breaking them. I can’t tell you how many times they rotated their D-line. They just broke in the fourth quarter.”
Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy dialed up performs to give Dart (23-for-29 for 230 yards and three touchdowns) uncontested throws all night time — and never was it more apparent than on a 65-yard drive that pushed the Giants’ lead to 28-14 with 7:25 remaining.
Nagy saved calling what appeared like the same play — a dump-off to third-string operating again Devin Singletary in the left flat — and it labored 4 instances in a five-play span. Ultimately, the ball was floated into Singletary’s trusty arms —after Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr. fumbled — and he carried it across the purpose line from 8 yards.
Charged by many emotional pregame 9/11 tributes, the official returns of Odell Beckham Jr. (after his commerce in 2019) in addition to Nabers and Skattebo (after their season-ending accidents) during pregame introductions, and the sight of Harbaugh on the sideline, the dwelling crowd was bursting during the first quarter.
“More dubs [wins] are on the way,” Likely said.
New York Giants security Jevon Holland (8) runs past Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) after an interception during the second quarter of their game in East Rutherford, NJ, on Sunday, September 13, 2026. Bill Kostroun for NY Post
The power only picked up on a fourth-and-1 as Prescott fruitlessly tried to draw an offsides penalty with a tough rely. It was a three-and-out in the picture of old-school Giants protection, which was improved from a 12 months in the past under new coordinator Dennard Wilson however didn’t register a sack with its vaunted go rush.
The Giants’ two first-half landing drives couldn’t have appeared less comparable.
The first was a 10-play, 83-yard match that chewed more than six minutes off the clock. With a heavy dose of fullback Patrick Ricard paving the method, the Giants ran seven instances, including a 22-yard RPO by Dart that was furthered by a 15-yard roughing penalty and Skattebo’s walk-in misdirection 3-yard landing.
Of course, Skattebo — playing in his first regular-season game since struggling a ugly fractured tibia last October — announced his return to the end zone with a handstand right into a backflip.
The Giants doubled the Cowboys’ yardage (82-41) and held a 7-2 edge in first downs in a first quarter that made it clear an encore of the 2023 season opener — a humiliating 40-0 dwelling loss — was not in retailer.
The second landing — for a 14-7 halftime lead — got here from a two-minute drill.
Dart accomplished 5-of-6 passes to 4 different targets for 60 yards over 29 seconds. He transformed a third-and-9 with a 16-yard sideline strike to Nabers, discovered Darnell Mooney chopping towards the sideline for 18 yards and then went to Likely on back-to-back performs for a 5-yard achieve and 15-yard landing go.
New York Giants operating again Cam Skattebo (44) runs the ball during the first half of a game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Likely completed with eight catches (on eight targets) for 78 yards and two touchdowns, and Nabers added six catches for 69 yards. Skattebo ran for 81 and a landing.
Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones had expressed on hometown radio before the game that his greatest concern was “Can we block them up?” It turns out the reply to that was sure — and the larger concern was on the other aspect of the line of scrimmage.
The Giants offensive line held its personal, particularly in permitting Dart and the speeding assault to go 9-for-10 changing third downs and run out the final 5 minutes.
“We could’ve played another two or three quarters,” Eluemunor said. “They were ready to go home.”
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