Sunday Night Football: Cowboys annihilate Giants 40-0
Sometimes you're the bug, and sometimes you are the windshield. The Giants were the bug, and the Cowboys were the windshield on Sunday Night Football.
The Cowboys annihilated, humiliated and frustrated the Giants from start to finish. They won 40-0 on a rainy night at the Meadowlands in one of the most lopsided season-opening games in NFL history.
The Steelers' 43-0 victory over the Browns in 1999 in the Browns' return to Cleveland was the last time a team won by a wider margin on opening day.
It was Dak Prescott's 11th consecutive victory over the Giants, and the Cowboys' first season opening win since 2019 when they beat the Giants 35-17 in Arlington. The Giants only wish it had been that close Sunday night.
Prescott completed only 13 of 24 passes for 143 yards but, with 11:19 remaining in the fourth quarter, he already was on the sideline in a baseball cap chilling.
The Cowboys had a special teams touchdown, a defensive touchdown and three rushing touchdowns, including two by Tony Pollard. Pollard had 70 yards on 14 carries.
The Dallas defense overwhelmed the Giants, holding them to 171 yards, recording seven sacks, including two each by Osa Odighizuwa and Dorance Armstrong, and 11 quarterback hits while forcing three turnovers. DaRon Bland returned his pick 22 yards for a touchdown.
Defensive back Noah Igbinoghene, recently acquired in a trade from Miami, got the Cowboys on the scoreboard early. Juanyeh Thomas blocked Graham Gano’s 45-yard field goal attempt, and Igbinoghene returned it 58 yards for a touchdown and an early 6-0 lead after Brandon Aubrey missed the PAT.
Daniel Jones took a beating, but played almost to the bitter end, leaving with 1:10 left. He completed 15 of 28 passes for 104 yards with two picks and a 32.4 passer rating while rushing for 43 yards on 13 carries.
Saquon Barkley rushed for 51 yards on 12 carries.
