The first Sunday Night Football game of the season revisited a classic NFC East rivalry.

The New York Giants defeated the Dallas Cowboys 28-20 at home to mark John Harbaugh’s debut on a high note.

Jaxson Dart stood out in particular with his confidence through the air and on the ground, while Dak Prescott didn’t impress. Cam Skattebo added 81 rushing yards and a touchdown on 4.5 yards per carry, while Isaiah Likely broke out as the TE1.

Let’s break down the first official Sunday Night Football game of the new season with takeaways:

Jaxson Dart shows the right level of promise

This was about as perfect as it could get for a young quarterback opening a new season under the lights. Against a marquee divisional rival with the world watching, Dart threw for 230 yards, three touchdowns and no picks while completing a healthy 23 of 29 passes.

He also ran for 54 yards on 11 carries, mostly from designed plays rather than panicked scrambles out of pressure. He took two sacks but lost just one yard total. Dart displayed positive chemistry with Likely and Scattebo, while Malik Nabers is getting back to his best, too. The composure he showed tonight could go a long way.

ISAIAH LIKELY STRIKES AGAIN. ⚡️
The Giants tight end caps an 8-minute drive with the SCORE!

📺 Cowboys at Giants on NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/dRauAYrFzj

— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 14, 2026

Odell Beckham Jr. was not targeted in his return to the team.

Not much has changed for Dallas

Brian Schottenheimer is entering his second season as Dallas’ head coach. There wasn’t much reason for optimism after Week 1. Dallas’ offense looked uninspiring as Prescott was once again outplayed under the lights. He threw for 175 yards, one touchdown and one pick on 22 of 34 completions.

CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens were kept in check by an energetic New York defense, which still at times made some avoidable fouls. It could be another long season ahead for Dallas at this rate, with the defense possibly declining again.

Both teams’ ceilings are still unclear

Dallas went 7-9-1 last season — after tonight, it’s a bit hard to see the team accumulating double-digit wins. That doesn’t mean things can’t change, but knowing how Prescott’s seasons have gone, there’s not too much to look forward to unless there are drastic changes.

As for the Giants, they find themselves in a good spot. They have a solid mix of rising youngsters and proven veterans all under the umbrella of a Super Bowl-winning coach. Does Harbaugh have more personal levels to hit after falling out at Baltimore? That’s the most crucial part of New York’s project, as they have plenty to like in their hopeful return to the summit.

Here are five things to know about New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart.