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Cowboys did the talking, but Giants looked like the improved team in decisive Week 1 win

The New York Giants kicked off their 2026 campaign on Sunday Night Football with a commanding Week 1 victory against their NFC East rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. Despite widespread expert predictions favoring Dallas, New York proved to be the sharper squad under newly appointed head coach John Harbaugh, who took charge after receiving full organizational control and an annual salary of $20 million from Chris Mara and franchise leadership.

An aggressive pass rush and dominance along the line of scrimmage set the tone for the triumph.

Cam Skattebo provided an immediate spark for the offense by finding the end zone during the club's very first possession of the contest, puncturing the score with an acrobatic backflip. That fast start validated New York's confident rhetoric from the summer, answering Dallas's pregame talk and giving Harbaugh a successful launch to his tenure with the franchise.