It's not even June, and the Dallas Cowboys may have already gotten their first win in the division. While Brian Schottenheimer's team looks like one on the rise, the New York Giants are getting off to a rocky start to the John Harbaugh era.
First, Harbaugh had some trouble filling his coaching staff, with plenty of his former assistants staying in the AFC North to join Todd Monken in Cleveland. Now, injuries and off-the-field drama have tainted the Giants' offseason.
From Abdul Carter calling out Jaxson Dart in public and fueling criticism from both sides of the aisle, to Malik Nabers and Roy Robertson-Harris being injured, the Giants are a mess right now.
The Dallas Cowboys should be a force in the NFC East with the Giants' struggles
There were already major doubts about Harbaugh and the new-look Giants. He's been outcoached and exposed in the playoffs year in and year out, with that one Super Bowl-winning season looking more like a fluke and a 'Linsanity' run by Joe Flacco. He failed to make the most of Lamar Jackson, so he might not do much better with an injury-prone, reckless, and inexperienced quarterback like Dart.
Even if that's the case, the 2026 Cowboys aren't like the Cowboys of old. This team has invested significant resources in fixing its historically poor defense. This will be Christian Parker's first official test as defensive coordinator, and he's earned a reputation as a bright defensive mind with plenty of fresh ideas.
Jerry Jones has made sure to give him all the groceries he needs to cook something special, and the additions of Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence, plus fully healthy seasons from Shavon Revel and DeMarvion Overshown, give this team a plethora of young talent to rely on that side of the field.
The Giants, on the other hand, have already lost one of their key interior defenders for the season, all while their best player might not even be able to suit up for the first month of the campaign. Malik Nabers' knee injury is no doubt a significant concern in The Big Apple, and he's likely to start the year on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.
Of course, it's never okay to cheer for an injury, not even if it's a rival superstar. That said, the Cowboys will obviously rather face the Giants without Nabers than with him, knowing how dangerous a playmaker he is.
This team has already proven that it can hold its own against anyone on offense. Now, with a revamped defense and the rest of the division seemingly regressing, it feels like the Cowboys are finally ready to make a statement and shift the power dynamics in the division. For now, that season opener is looking like a banger thanks to the Giants imploding on themselves before June even begins.
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