John Harbaugh’s arrival at the New York Giants for this 2026 NFL season had its purposes. His characteristic physical style of play was something the G-Men needed, and eventually they managed to take advantage of it. Brian Schottenheimer, once Sunday Night Football was over, praised the work of his rival, mainly highlighting the physicality that his Dallas Cowboys were unable to contain.
“Give Harbaugh and his team a bunch of credit. They were the more physical team tonight. That’s certainly not our standard. That’s certainly not how we see our identity playing. They shoved us around in the running game. We couldn’t get the running game going on offense,” the Cowboys head coach revealed to the press.
“Situationally, they were outstanding. They did a really good job of keeping the ball away from us in the second half. I think they had the ball for 36 minutes and 40 seconds. So, this is a humbling business. We got humbled tonight, and that’s what I told the guys.”
The running game, as expected, prevailed for the Big Blue in the 28-20 victory. For America’s Team, it will be a matter of turning the page, correcting their mistakes, and analyzing what happened ahead of the rematch against the Giants.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer of the Dallas Cowboys.
Dart and Skattebo ran wild
Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo set the tempo in New York’s performance over the Cowboys. Dart anchored the air and ground attack, completing 79.3% of his passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns (134.2 passer rating) while adding 54 rushing yards.
Skattebo set the tone in the backfield, rushing 18 times for 81 yards and punching in an early touchdown. Together, they kept Dallas on its heels and set a physical baseline for the Giants’ offense.
Cam Skattebo #44 of the New York Giants celebrates touchdown with teammates.
Harbaugh is already instilling his work culture in New York
Nearly two decades at the helm of the Baltimore Ravens gave John Harbaugh’s teams a trademark identity: they were physical, powerful, and athletic. That is something he is looking to replicate in East Rutherford, and it was not only evident in the Week 1 debut, but also in previous additions to the roster that fit those characteristics.
In Week 2, they will face another major test, as they take on a serious Super Bowl contender. The Giants will travel to SoFi Stadium to face the Los Angeles Rams in a dream Monday Night Football matchup.
