EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe New York Giants' first game of the John Harbaugh era comes at home against the rival Dallas Cowboys on "Sunday Night Football," which should provide an instant test to see if the longtime Baltimore Ravens coach can get more out of Big Blue's roster than the previous regime did.Can Harbaugh and OC Matt Nagy get the most out of quarterback Jaxson Dart? Can they rely on Cam Skattebo and the running game to make efficient gains against a Dallas run-stopping unit that was weak a year ago? And can the vaunted Giants pass rush make an impact against an explosive Cowboys passing game? Those questions will determine if the Giants have a chance, because Dallas has the edge on paper.Dallas has X-factors, too. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker is charged with fixing a lackluster defense. If he can do that quickly, it won't just be over for the Giants in Week 1, but it will vault the Cowboys into true contender status.Betting outlookSo much of this game hinges on what version of Malik Nabers the Giants get -- if they have him at all. Nabers, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 4 last season, is critical to the Giants offense. Without him, their best receiving options are quite possibly tight end Isaiah Likely and rookie wide receiver Malachi Fields. And even if Nabers does play, it's not reasonable to think he'll be 100% right away. That's a big reason why I'm leaning toward the Cowboys and the under in this game.For Dallas, their big injury loss is Pro Bowl guard Tyler Smith, who was recently placed on IR with a thumb injury. While the strength of the Giants' pass rush is from the edge, the loss of Smith certainly is not ideal -- and another light nudge toward fewer points, though Dallas' prolific offense certainly should be able to score some, nonetheless.Cowboys -3Ben Solak: I don't really like the way this one feels. The opening John Harbaugh game, at home, in primetime, against a hated Cowboys team that's gotten some serious offseason hype feels like a trappy spot. But I cannot pass on a Cowboys team almost featuring the best WR duo in football -- George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb just barely come in below Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase -- against a Giants cornerback room that is in total disarray. Big-money 2025 free agent Paulson Adebo was unable to retain his starting job, and second-round rookie Colton Hood couldn't break into the starting lineup either. The Giants are expected to start veteran Greg Newsome II and beleaguered first-round bust Deonte Banks on the outside.Dak Prescott and the Cowboys' passing attack should be able to get whatever they want on the outside, which will neutralize the impact of the Giants' deep room of outside pass rushers. I'm also still very dubious of a Giants defensive tackle room featuring veteran additions DJ Reader and Shelby Harris, both of whom are beyond their best ball. Even with left guard Tyler Smith out, the Cowboys are a great interior running team behind center Cooper Beebe and right guard Tyler Booker.Jaxson Dart and a healthy Malik Nabers should do some damage to a Cowboys defense in its first game under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. I just don't trust Dart yet to consistently go punch for punch with a Cowboys team that should score on every single drive. One turnover is all it takes for this game to start spiraling.Notable player props, betsNote: Odds by DraftKings and subject to change.Jaxson Dart 24+ completions (+491)Walder: It's hard to know what Giants' passing game will look like with Matt Nagy at the helm. But there is a commonality between what he did last year as Andy Reid's OC in Kansas City and during his tenure as the Chicago Bears' head coach: throw short. In Nagy's final season as head coach of the Bears in 2021, they averaged just 4.9 air yards per attempt, fourth lowest in the league. In 2025, Dart averaged 8.1 air yards per attempt. Certainly, Dart has some control over that number going forward, too. But if Nagy encourages him to take some layups closer to the line of scrimmage, that could boost his completions number and let us hit this alt line. I would bet this down to +450.Dak Prescott rushing yards OVER 8.5 (-112)Liz Loza: Dak doesn't have Dart's wheels, but this wager is too good to pass up. Prescott managed nine or more rushing yards in eight contests last season, including a 17-yard effort against the Giants in Week 2. Meanwhile, New York's run defense surrendered the most rushing yards to opposing QBs -- an average of 24.5 per game -- in 2025. Dak will, assuredly, aim to get the ball out quickly, but with the Giants' pass rush bringing pressure, he's a solid bet to scamper for 10 on the ground.
