The Dallas Cowboys open the 2026 season on the road, and the spread has drifted toward them since the market first hung this game in May. Dallas is a 3-point favorite at MetLife Stadium for Sunday Night Football, up a full point from the -2 that opened. That move pushes the number onto a key point in NFL handicapping. It also lands on a division rivalry that split last season. Below is the current spread, the moneyline and total, the line movement, and where the public money sits.
Last Updated: Sunday, September 13, 2026
Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants — Time & How to Watch
| Where | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford NJ |
| When | Sunday, September 13 – 8:20 PM ET |
| TV | NBC |
Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants Matchup Overview
Both teams arrive from losing seasons, by different routes. Dallas finished 7-9-1 and placed second in the NFC East. The Giants finished 4-13 and placed last. New York also closed the year by beating the Cowboys 34-17 at MetLife Stadium on January 4, a result that ended a long losing run in the series. The teams split the 2025 season series after Dallas won the September meeting 40-37 in overtime.
The bigger change is on the sidelines. New York hired John Harbaugh as head coach in January, and this is his first game in charge. Dak Prescott starts his 11th season for Dallas under second-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Jaxson Dart starts for the Giants in year two after taking over as a rookie. Prescott has the longer track record in this matchup, and the market has priced that experience gap into the moneyline.
Health matters more on one side than the other. Dallas will be without starting left guard Tyler Smith, who is sidelined by a hand injury, and running back Malik Davis is ruled out. New York listed receiver Malik Nabers as questionable with a knee issue on its final Week 1 injury report, though he practiced fully. Every other Giants name on that report cleared to available status.
Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | -3 (-110) | -170 | U 48 (-110) |
| Giants | +3 (-110) | +145 | O 48 (-110) |
Odds accurate as of Sunday, September 13, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NFL Odds – Futures – Props
Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants — Who Is the Public Betting?
| Cowboys | 48% | 52% | Giants |
See the latest NFL Public Betting Splits and make smarter wagers!
NFL Betting Angle for Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants
Start with what moved and what did not. The spread opened at Cowboys -2 and now sits at Cowboys -3, both sides priced at -110. The moneyline moved further, from -135 to -170 on Dallas and from +115 to +145 on New York. The total has not budged from 48, with the Over and the Under both at -110. So the market firmed on the Cowboys to win, while holding its scoring estimate steady.
That combination is worth pausing on. A move from 2 to 3 is not a half-point of noise. Three sits on the most significant key number in NFL betting, so buying a road favorite through it costs real equity. Anyone who took Dallas at -2 in May now holds a better number than the market offers. Anyone backing New York gets a full field goal of cushion instead of two points, which is the more valuable side of the same move.
The case for laying the three is straightforward. Prescott is the more proven quarterback, Dallas has won this matchup far more often than not in recent seasons, and the Giants are breaking in a new staff and a second-year starter in a primetime opener. The case against is equally clear. Dallas allowed more points than any other defense in the league last season, which is why the front office rebuilt the unit around trade addition Rashan Gary and a new coordinator in Christian Parker. New defenses rarely arrive fully formed in Week 1, and the Giants get home field plus a pass rush that should test a thinned Cowboys line.
The public split says the market is genuinely divided. Spread tickets sit at 52 percent on New York and 48 percent on Dallas, which is close to even and gives no fade signal. For more of our Week 1 coverage, see the odds preview for Bears at Panthers and our Ravens at Colts odds breakdown.
The Giants Pass Rush Against a Thinned Cowboys Line
The most direct route to a Giants cover runs through their front seven. New coordinator Dennard Wilson has assembled a group built for disguise. Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter all rush off the edge, while Tremaine Edmunds and rookie Arvell Reese give the unit inside linebackers with similar size who can rush or drop. Burns has described the effect as organized chaos: offenses cannot read the pressure before the snap.
Dallas meets that group short-handed. With Tyler Smith out, the Cowboys shuffle the interior of a line that has to protect a veteran quarterback against four-man pressure looks. Dallas has said as much itself, listing pass protection against Burns and company among the keys to opening the season well.
Still, there is a counterweight. Pass rushes need a lead to matter, and New York’s offense has to give Wilson one. Dart handled this opponent well in the January meeting, but that was one game against a Dallas defense that has since been rebuilt from the coordinator down. If the Giants trail early, the disguise package loses much of its value and Dallas can control the clock. That is the tension the 3-point number is trying to capture.
NFL Cowboys vs. Giants FAQ: Sunday September 13, 2026
What time does the Cowboys vs. Giants game start?
Kickoff is 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, September 13, 2026. It is the nightcap of the Week 1 Sunday schedule and the opening game of both teams’ seasons. The Giants are the home team, so the game is played in the Eastern time zone with no travel-related start-time quirks.
What channel is the Cowboys vs. Giants game on?
The game airs on NBC as the Sunday Night Football broadcast for Week 1. It is a national window, so the telecast is available across the country rather than being limited to the Dallas and New York regional markets.
Where are the Cowboys and Giants playing?
The game is at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Giants’ home venue. Dallas is the road team despite opening the season away from AT&T Stadium. MetLife Stadium is the same building where the Giants beat the Cowboys in the final week of last season.
Who won the last meeting between the Cowboys and Giants?
The Giants won the last meeting 34-17 at MetLife Stadium on January 4, 2026. New York outscored Dallas 24-7 over the final three quarters after trailing early. That result split the 2025 season series, since the Cowboys had won the September meeting 40-37 in overtime.
Who is starting at quarterback for the Cowboys and Giants?
Dak Prescott starts for Dallas and Jaxson Dart starts for New York. Prescott is entering his 11th NFL season. Dart is in his second season after taking over as the Giants’ starter during his rookie year, and this is his first opener as the established number one.