Although there are questions around Malik Nabers and whether he is playing against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1, there are no doubts who the New York Giants will start under center. In fact, they are very confident in their backup quarterback, too. As for the Cowboys, they know how their depth chart will look in the 2026 NFL season, as well.
The first Sunday Night Football of the 2026 NFL season will feature a heated showdown between two NFC East rivals with star starting quarterbacks. Jaxson Dart and Dak Prescott will go head to head at MetLife Stadium. It will be the second time both franchise QBs meet.
After a busy summer with multiple appearances in television and across the country, Jameis Winston will resume his NFL quarterback duties and be the Giants’ backup signal-caller against the Cowboys. As for the Cowboys, Sam Howell will be the backup quarterback in Week 1 behind Prescott.
Emergency quarterbacks
In the NFL, teams must always brace for the worst and prepare for injuries that could potentially derail even the best of game plans. Although both sides will roll into Sunday night’s matchup with a two-man QB room, they have named their third emergency quarterbacks.
Backup QBs for Week 1: Winston and Howell.
New York will count on Jake Haener as its emergency QB, while Dallas will have Joe Milton III in that role. Both quarterbacks share a similarity in that they were released and re-signed to the practice squad.
Per NFL rules, emergency QBs can only be activated if both the starting and backup quarterbacks are injured. If that happens, both the G-Men and the Boys will be in much more trouble than simply playing Haener or Milton, respectively.
| Role in Week 1 | Giants | Cowboys |
| Starting quarterback | Jaxson Dart | Dak Prescott |
| Backup quarterback | Jameis Winston | Sam Howell |
| Third, emergency quarterback | Jake Haener | Joe Milton III |
Dart’s stats against Cowboys
Although he’s only played once against Dallas in his NFL career, Dart is 1-0 against America’s Team. Dart earned the win over the Cowboys in Week 18 of the 2025 NFL season and will vie to do so again in Week 1 of the new season. Last year, in his lone appearance against Dem Boys, Dart completed 22 of 32 pass attempts for 230 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 32 yards.
