5 Things To Watch As Giants Face Cowboys In Week 1 Of 2026 Nfl Season

After 18 years in Baltimore, John Harbaugh’s first game as head coach of the Giants has arrived, and it takes place on national television as Big Blue hosts the Dallas Cowboys. After a disappointing four-win season in 2025, New York expects to be more competitive this season, and this matchup will give us an interesting insight into their new-look roster.

Here are some of the biggest stories to watch as the Giants look to get their season off to a winning start...

How quickly can the Giants become a team in Harbaugh’s image?

Harbaugh’s teams have historically been hard-nosed, disciplined units, with ball-control offenses and playmaking defenses. In many ways, he’s a perfect fit with a Giants organization whose most successful teams historically exhibited the same kinds of traits.

The Giants already had a good pass rush and a promising running game, so a foundation was in place for Harbaugh to build on. However, there will be changes, with several ex-Ravens added to the roster and a new 3-4 defensive system in place.

Is New York going to play disciplined football from the very beginning under Harbaugh, or will this be a work in progress over the course of the season? We will get our first chance to evaluate this on Sunday night.

Will rust be a concern?

The Giants opted not to give any playing time to five defensive starters during preseason. Edge rusher Brian Burns, safety Jevon Holland, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and defensive linemen DJ Reader and Shelby Harris were all rested.

Clearly this was a conscious decision to limit the potential exposure to injury for those players. However, there’s always a downside. In addition to any concerns about individual rust, we also need to consider that the defensive unit hasn’t had any live game reps as a group. For Edmunds and Holland in particular, they will need to ensure that the defensive communication is on point.

Other than veteran left tackle Andrew Thomas, the only offensive starter who didn’t play in preseason was wide receiver Malik Nabers, but that was for injury-related reasons. At the time of writing, Nabers’ availability for Sunday hasn’t been confirmed, but it looks likely he will be out there. 

The primary concern here will be how long it might take Jaxson Dart to establish chemistry with Nabers, given that the pair only played together in one game last year.

Who is going to cover CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens?

Earlier this week, George Pickens claimed that he and his Cowboys teammate CeeDee Lamb are the best wide receiver duo in the NFL. Whether or not that is the case, facing such a formidable pairing is far from ideal for a Giants team that should have concerns about their cornerback position.

In training camp, Paulson Adebo unexpectedly struggled, with Deonte Banks replacing him on the first unit at times. The other starter, Greg Newsome II, had a solid camp, but he was inconsistent last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott will no doubt be seeking to test the Giants’ corners early and often.

Francis Mauigoa’s baptism by fire

First round rookie Francis Mauigoa is someone else who will find himself in a tough matchup to begin the season. Mauigoa, who was a tackle in college at the University of Miami (FL) but has moved to right guard with the Giants, will regularly find himself lined up across from four-time pro bowler Quinnen Williams.

Williams will be particularly motivated to perform in the first game of his first full season with the Cowboys having just been named as a team captain. He also just signed a lucrative contract extension, which he will be keen to live up to.

The Giants’ offensive line starting group didn’t get a chance to play together in preseason either, so the Cowboys may enjoy some success by testing how cohesively they play as a unit with stunts and exotic blitz packages.

What kind of an impact will Arvell Reese make in his NFL debut?

New York’s other first round pick, Arvell Reese, flashed a few times in preseason, but he hasn’t had a chance to play alongside Edmunds in real game action yet. The pair will be hoping to develop a strong partnership that will enable Reese to become an impact playmaker.

While Reese will line up off the ball, we know from his performances at Ohio State last season that he’s a dynamic pass rusher, so the Giants will expect him to be productive within that role and the Cowboys will have to be alert to his multi-dimensional role in blitz situations.