Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys didn’t start the 2026 NFL season quite like they envisioned. Coming up against a much more physical New York Giants team than in years past, even head coach Brian Schottenheimer admitted the Giants’ physicality overpowered the Cowboys. As a result, Dallas is 0-1 to start the year, with a divisional loss on its record.
It’s far from ideal. Especially with the way the game went. It never really looked as if the Cowboys had any chance of coming back in the game. Learning they may be behind the Giants in the race for the NFC East—and discovering that one game into the season—is less than encouraging.
Still, the NFL regular season is long. It’s not a sprint but a marathon. Prescott understands that and never lost track of it, not even in the aftermath of the primetime defeat in East Rutherford. His hope is that the rest of the team and fanbase acknowledge it, too.
“I know our standard. Don’t change, don’t flinch, don’t blink,” Dak Prescott stated postgame, via the Dallas Morning News’ Joseph Hoyt. “This is a long year. We have to stick together.”
Dak Prescott makes an effort to listen to the play call.
Prescott’s 2026 debut
Tyler Smith’s injury-related absence can serve as an excuse. The offensive line struggled, especially against second-year pass rusher Abdul Carter, who wreaked havoc wherever he was lined up. That led to Prescott being under duress all night long and having to stay alert in the pocket. He was never sacked, but he had a couple of close calls.
Prescott looked a gear off with his accuracy, and he made a couple of decisions that left fans scratching their heads. The biggest of them came late in the second quarter. Before the half, Prescott forced a throw on 3rd-and-5 with 58 seconds left in the quarter. His pass landed nowhere near a receiver but instead into the sliding hands of safety Jevon Holland.
Off that turnover in great field position, the Giants broke the deadlock with a touchdown and headed into the locker room with a 14-7 lead. They got the ball to start the second half, and Jaxson Dart commanded an eight-minute drive that ended with another touchdown.
That was when the game felt all but decided. There were over 20 minutes left, but it looked bleak for Dallas. And it was. Prescott finished the night with 22 completions on 34 attempts for 175 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.
Cowboys must bounce back
Indeed, losing on the road to a divisional opponent and in such an overwhelming fashion—not on the scoreboard, but on the playing field—is a terrible way to start an NFL season. However, it would be absurd to throw in the towel one game into the year. This loss will only sting and be as painful for its playoff hopes as Dallas allows it to be.
The last thing they can afford is to start pointing blaming fingers around the room. Even though former wide receiver Dez Bryant aimed at George Pickens and his lackluster performance to start his franchise-tag year, Dallas can’t let the outside noise into the building.
Cowboys face Commanders in Week 2
The Cowboys will get one moment to lick their wounds before putting their pads back on. And what better opportunity to do so than to take down another NFC East foe back home in the Lone Star State?
Next Sunday (Sept. 20), the Cowboys will host the 0-1 Washington Commanders. Both sides will be coming off road losses within the division, so it will be a battle of equal desperation. Even in that sense, though, everything is bigger in Texas, and the Cowboys will be bearing the heavier weight on their shoulders.
