NEW YORK — That’s what the money’s for.
John Harbaugh’s $20 million a year salary was worth every penny in his Sunday night prime time New York Giants debut.
The Giants outcoached and outplayed the rival Dallas Cowboys in a statement 28-20 win at MetLife Stadium, announcing a new day in East Rutherford, N.J.
Jaxson Dart completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdown passes, and he directed three consecutive TD drives spanning the game’s final three quarters.
Abdul Carter hassled Dak Prescott. Safety Jevon Holland picked the Cowboys quarterback off to set up an end of half offensive score.
And a sell-out crowd showed up and created a deafening environment befitting the hype of Harbaugh’s new day promised in New Jersey.
“Couldn’t even tell you the last game where it was this loud or the crowd was this into it,” one season ticket holder texted the News. “My uncle had to take his hearing aids out!”
The Giants (1-0) won a season opener for the first time since 2022 and won at home in Week 1 for the first time since 2010.
Dallas threatened to tighten it up late. Prescott hit Javonte Williams for a 17-yard touchdown catch with 5:21 to play to draw within 28-20 after Brandon Aubrey’s missed extra point.
But Cam Skattebo (81 yards, touchdown), Dart and tight end Isaiah Likely (eight catches, 78 yards, two touchdowns) iced the Cowboys and finished the game in victory formation, never giving the ball back to Prescott.
Dart’s 9-yard touchdown swing pass to Devin Singletary with 7:26 remaining ended up being the game winner. Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy used an in-your-face running game and misdirection to keep the Cowboys’ defense guessing all day.
The Giants’ two touchdown drives in the second half were both longer than eight minutes, reflecting how much command they took over a Dallas defense that wilted late.
The Los Angeles Rams (0-1) await the Giants next in prime time on Monday Night Football in Week 2.
The Giants led, 14-7, at halftime on a Skattebo rushing touchdown and a Dart TD pass to Likely.
Their execution in the half’s final two minutes was the most impressive and dramatic difference from Giants teams of years’ past, though.
It was a clear sign of Harbaugh’s early impact by coaching the details of situational football.
The Cowboys had tied the game, 7-7, on a Prescott 1-yard TD pass to CeeDee Lamb with 5:44 to play in the half. Then the Giants offense fumbled two plays in a row straddling the two-minute warning.
Left guard Jon Runyan Jr. caught Dart’s fumble on a sack by Caleb Downs. But Shavon Revel recovered running back Tyrone Tracy Jr.’s fumble punched out by Quinnen Williams.
The Giants typically lose steam when they get punched in the mouth like that, especially in end of half and game situations.
But Kayvon Thibodeaux flustered Prescott into a downfield interception to Holland at the Giants’ 45-yard line with 49 seconds to play.
And Dart completed 5-of-6 passes, capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass to Likely, to regain the lead going into the locker room.
That set the table for Dart’s offense to emerge from halftime and take command of the game.
Dart and Skattebo drove the Giants offense 74 yards and took eight minutes off the clock to set up Likely’s second touchdown, a 2-yard catch from Dart, to take a 21-7 lead with 6:59 to play in the third.
Harbaugh’s defense had set the tone with a game-opening three-and-out. Then the offense scored on its first possession with a physical, run-heavy brand of football and fullback Pat Ricard leading the way.
Nagy’s play call on the goal line used misdirection and allowed Skattebo to waltz into the left side of the end zone untouched with 6:40 to play in the first quarter.
It marked the Giants’ first touchdown in a season opener since 2022.
Prescott and the Cowboys found success against the Giants’ secondary to tie it up.
George Pickens (38 yards) and Jake Ferguson (19 yards) drew two pass interference calls on Giants corners Greg Newsome II and Dru Phillips, respectively.
That set up Lamb’s touchdown against Deonte Banks.
But even with the Giants fumbling three times in the half, including an early Likely fumble that Ricard fell on, Harbaugh’s team did not fold in the face of the early adversity.
Maybe this is a new day under Harbaugh after all.