EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Off the top of his head, Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer, who has spent most of his life around the NFL, could not recall a more disappointing season-opening defeat, but Sunday's 28-20 loss to the New York Giants was up there.
"Been around a long time so maybe, but right now, this one feels pretty bad just because at the end of the day, we just didn't perform the way we're capable of playing," Schottenheimer said. "We didn't play defense the way we're capable of playing. We didn't play offense in the first half the way we're capable of playing. ... But we're not going to panic. This is a long season, and we know we're not going to go undefeated. That's real, but that's not the biggest issue we have."
A rebuilt Cowboys defense could not slow down the Giants' offense. New York converted 9 of 11 third-down chances, and one of the two that was missed occurred on a kneel-down to close out the game. After quarterback Dak Prescott nicknamed the Cowboys' offense the "Greatest Offense There Is" in training camp, the unit started slowly and had the ball just twice in the second half.
Despite missing the playoffs each of the past two seasons, the Cowboys entered 2026 optimistic that things would be different but opened the year with a divisional loss just as they did in 2025, when they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.
For the second straight season, the Cowboys play another NFC East foe in Week 2 when the Washington Commanders visit AT&T Stadium. Last year, the Cowboys beat the Giants 40-37 in Game 2 of the season, a sign that Dallas' defense would struggle and the offense could put up points to finish 7-9-1.
"I know the way that we approach things, I know that our routine, I know that our standard, I know that the way that we practice is the right way," Prescott said. "So, my message is echoing: don't change, don't flinch, don't blink. This is a long year."
The Cowboys had just seven possessions, and one came with 20 seconds left in the first half after the Giants turned Prescott's interception into a go-ahead touchdown pass from Jaxson Dart to tight end Isaiah Likely.
A defense that featured eight new starters from Week 1 in 2025 suffered communication breakdowns. Likely broke free in the end zone after linebacker Dee Winters and cornerback DaRon Bland jumped an underneath receiver.
Prescott said he tried to throw the pass away after he was flushed from the pocket while under duress, but safety Jevon Holland made a sliding interception.
"That was a huge part in the game," Prescott said. "They scored before half. They got the ball to start the [second] half, and they went and scored, limited our possessions in the second half, only gave us two possessions, and that was the game right there."
The Giants' offense was on the field for 21 minutes, 33 seconds in the second half. New York finished with 165 yards rushing on 37 carries. Dart became the fifth quarterback with at least three touchdown passes and 50 yards rushing in a team's season opener in NFL history. The Cowboys lost veteran safety Malik Hooker, who suffered a fractured forearm in the fourth quarter.
"We've got to definitely look in the mirrors, especially as a defense and go this week and do it," defensive tackle Quinnen Williams said. "We've got the guys in this defensive room. This defensive unit is really good. We've got the guys to be accountable and get better."
Prescott completed 22 of 34 attempts for just 175 yards. He has now lost two straight starts against the Giants after winning 14 in a row. The Cowboys, who had the fewest three-and-outs in 2025, opened Sunday with a three-and-out. Dallas failed to generate a play of more than 17 yards all game, and George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb had opportunities go through their hands.
Last year, the Cowboys had at least two 20-yard receptions in every game and finished with 56 as a team. Lamb and Pickens combined for 38 of them. But the Cowboys ran just 52 offensive plays Sunday.
"It's just more so when we do get our opportunities, we do got to make the most of it," Lamb said. "It doesn't matter how many opps we get."
Twice, the Cowboys came within one score in the second half, and the second time they had a potential 2-point opportunity wiped out because of a taunting penalty on running back Javonte Williams as he pointed the ball at a Giants defender while crossing the goal line with 5:21 to play.
The 15-yard penalty forced the Cowboys to kick an extra point, and Brandon Aubrey's 48-yard kick was wide right. It was the eighth penalty of a nine-penalty performance from the Cowboys.
Schottenheimer called Williams one of the Cowboys' "most dependable players."
"We're getting ready to try to go in for two and make it a one-score game," Schottenheimer said. "We're going for the win. That's not like Javonte."
The Cowboys didn't get the ball back, with Dart kneeling it three straight times to seal the win.
"This is a humbling business, and we got humbled tonight, and that's what I told the guys," Schottenheimer said. "We lost Mile 1 of a 17-mile marathon, and we have to be better. We will be better. The only way to do that is get back to work."