Giants defeat Cowboys 28-20 in John Harbaugh's debut as head coach
New York beat Dallas 28-20 at MetLife Stadium, marking John Harbaugh's first win as Giants head coach after 18 seasons with the Ravens.
John Harbaugh earned his first victory as the New York Giants head coach on Sunday night, as the team defeated the Dallas Cowboys 28-20 at MetLife Stadium. The Giants outgained Dallas on the ground, finishing with 165 rushing yards to the Cowboys' 69, and controlled the final five minutes to secure the win.
"It was No. 1 because it's the one right now," Harbaugh said when asked to rank the game among his 205 career wins.
Team owner John Mara presented Harbaugh with a game ball, noting it was the coach's first win with the Giants. Players expressed confidence in Harbaugh's approach, with running back Cam Skattebo saying the game plan of emphasizing the run and play-action passes was executed as intended.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart added that the team respects Harbaugh's leadership and intends to follow his strategy, emphasizing the importance of a strong identity set by the coaching staff.
The victory marked the Giants' first season-opening win in a decade and broke a recent pattern of losses to Dallas, who had won 16 of the previous 18 meetings.