The first week of the 2026 season is in the books, and once again, the Dallas Cowboys are 0-1.
The defense was unable to get any key stops, and the offense took too long to get started. And now, the Cowboys will go into a pivotal must-win game in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders to avoid a 0-2 start. But before we get there, let’s look back at the biggest winners and losers from Dallas' disappointing 28-20 loss to the New York Giants.
Biggest winners and losers from Cowboys' Week 1 loss
Winner: Javonte Williams - RB
The overall numbers might not look overly impressive, but Javonte Williams played really well on Sunday night. He ran incredibly hard, and there were so many runs where he was able to make the first defender miss and fall forward for extra yards. This was a really physical game for Williams and another impressive outing for the former North Carolina star.
However, Williams had a boneheaded penalty on a walk-in touchdown that cost the Cowboys a point. It was a selfish play that was pretty out of character for him. He has to know better in that situation, but he was one of the Cowboys' best players against the Giants.
Winner: CeeDee Lamb - WR
Anytime the Cowboys needed a big play on Sunday, Lamb delivered. Not only did he score a touchdown, but he drew numerous penalties on big downs to help the Cowboys move the ball. On a night in which Dallas struggled on offense, Lamb was able to bail them out of a lot of bad situations.
It's a shame the defense couldn't get a stop in the second half, because Lamb was ready to will the Cowboys back from a two-touchdown deficit.
Winner: Tyler Guyton - LT
The offensive line for the Cowboys did not have a strong night, but Tyler Guyton held down the left side very well. You can make a case that he was the best lineman on the field for the Cowboys, and that was despite not playing at all in the preseason.
Guyton’s development will be a big one to watch throughout the regular season. He more than held his own against one of the better pass rushes in the NFL. This was a big step for the former first-round pick.
Loser: Brian Schottenheimer - HC
From the first drive of the game, Brian Schottenheimer’s decisions were… questionable. He passed up on a 4th-and-inches and decided to punt. The Giants would proceed to walk the ball down the field and take the lead on their first drive. But besides just the decision-making, he called a very poor game, especially in the first half.
The Giants have one of the NFL’s best pass rushes, and the Cowboys did nothing to slow them down. They ran into heavy boxes. They did not run a single screen in the first half. There were no easy reads for Dak Prescott. Nothing. And that’s the difference between the elite playcallers and just the average ones. This was a game that Schottenheimer needs to forget.
Loser: Christian Parker - DC
If you thought Christian Parker was going to be a miracle worker right away, you are likely disappointed today. The Cowboys were pushed around all night long and couldn’t generate any pressure without blitzing. They made life easy on Jaxson Dart, who was throwing into wide-open zones all night long.
The Cowboys have more talent on defense, but the unit is just as confused as it was last season. Not only did the Giants score a bunch of points, but they were able to eat up almost all the clock and keep the Cowboys off the field. This was a wake-up call for a team that had high hopes for its defense coming into the year.
Loser: George Pickens - WR
It was just a really weird game for George Pickens. He dropped two big passes, one of which could have been a touchdown that Dak Prescott dropped right into his hands 35 yards down the field. And on the next play, Prescott threw a big interception before halftime.
Pickens' second drop was one of the biggest turning points in the game. We could have been talking about a 14-14 ballgame going into halftime. Instead, the Giants turned Prescott's INT into a touchdown of their own to take a commanding lead.
The Cowboys need more from Pickens, and this was just a bad start for him.
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