Giants 28, Cowboys 20: Dart's Third-Down Night Opens Harbaugh's Era

September 13, 2026 - East Rutherford - John Harbaugh's first game with the Ravens, 18 years ago, was a home division win. His first game with the Giants looked the same: never trailed, chewed clock, 28-20 over Dallas on Sunday night.

Jaxson Dart completed 23 of 29 for 230 yards, three touchdowns, and no picks. He ran 11 times for 54 yards, the last three in victory formation. The New York Giants beat the Dallas Cowboys and snapped a stretch in which they had lost 16 of 17 to this club before last year's win.

Isaiah Likely, in a Giants uniform, caught all eight targets for 78 yards and two scores. Cam Skattebo ran 18 times for 81 yards and a touchdown. Malik Nabers came back from the torn ACL that ended 2025 on Sept. 28 and caught six for 69. He had been listed as questionable. He practiced all week. He played.

14-7 at the half, because Holland slid

Dak Prescott had 72 passing yards in the first half. Jevon Holland intercepted him near the sideline with under a minute left. Dart hit Likely from 15 yards with 20 seconds on the clock. 14-7.

Dallas finished with 175 passing yards, two touchdowns, and that pick. CeeDee Lamb caught five for 44 and a score. George Pickens had three for 28 and a drop down the sideline in the first half, per NBC Sports. Javonte Williams ran 12 times for 41 yards (3.4 a carry) and a touchdown. The Giants held Dallas to 69 rushing yards on 18 carries.

New York converted 9 of 10 third downs before Dart's final kneel. Possession: 36:40. First downs: 29. Total yards: 394.

Two long drives, then the ball never came back

The Giants took the second-half kickoff 74 yards in 12 plays and 8:01. Dart completed all five passes on the drive. The last was a 2-yard dump to Likely. 21-7.

Dallas answered with a long touchdown drive. New York answered again: swing passes, Dart keeping, then a 9-yard score to Devin Singletary. 28-14.

Williams scored. On the way in he taunted. Fifteen-yard penalty. Brandon Aubrey had to kick the extra point from 15 yards farther back and pushed it wide right. 28-20. Dallas never saw the ball again. The Giants ran the last 5:21. After the two-minute warning, Skattebo converted a third-and-7 with eight yards. Dart knelt three times.

Harbaugh handed out game balls to Dart, Likely, Skattebo, and Tremaine Edmunds (eight tackles). Dart is the first quarterback in NFL history to open a season with at least three passing touchdowns, 50 rushing yards, and a 130 rating, per the club. Nabers did not get a game ball. He got 69 yards in his first game in a year. That was the other story in the building.

AthX Engine on a possession night

AthX Engine NFL scoring already has the Week 1 lines in. Dart's three scores and 284 combined yards land at 49.90, the top skill total in this game. Skattebo is 26.25. Prescott is 27.50. Lamb is 19.50. New York's team line is 73.00. Dallas floors at 6.00 after the loss.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay for Dart in Harbaugh's first Sunday and Nabers' first game back. They move together. They are not the same number.

Track Dart, Nabers, Prescott, and both clubs on the marketplace. Washington visits Dallas on Sept. 20. The Giants visit the Rams on Monday Night Football, Sept. 21.

*Sources: Giants.com, Giants instant analysis, Cowboys.com, Reuters, NBC Sports. AthX Engine Week 1 lines scored from nflverse weekly stats. Information only; not financial advice.*