2026 NY Giants schedule: 4 storylines for Week 1 against the Cowboys

NY Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart scrambles against the Dallas Cowboys. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images The NFL didn’t waste any time in starting the hype cycle for 2026 schedule release. The NFL made one of the highlights of the season their first announcement, when they confirmed that the New York Giants would host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.

It was hardly unexpected that the Giants would play their old rivals in Prime Time to start the season. The two teams feature two of the largest and most passionate fanbases in football, so Giants vs. Cowboys is always a cash cow for the NFL.

Not to mention, this game is simply rife with potential storylines, from John Harbaugh’s first game as the Giants’ head coach to the reunion of the electric duo of Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo. There will be plenty of time to chase down all of those storylines and the details leading up to the game. Players tend to look at Week 1 as a tone setter for the season, and that’s doubly true with this year’s opener being against the Cowboys.

So with that in mind, I want to take a look at how this game could set the tone for the Giants’ upcoming season. Jaxson Dart’s development Fostering Dart’s development is, without a doubt, the most important thing on the Giants’ “To-Do” list. Nothing else matters as much as Dart taking the next step in his development and going from flashing promise to becoming a true franchise quarterback.