Prescott’s costly interception draws criticism
Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys opened the 2026 season with a loss that quickly sparked discussion among NFL fans. The 28-20 defeat to the New York Giants featured a costly interception, offensive struggles and a late comeback attempt that fell short.
Prescott still delivered 2 touchdown passes, but his performance drew attention as fans debated how much blame he deserved. With Dallas preparing for Week 2 against Washington, the focus now shifts to what went wrong and how the Cowboys can respond.
Cowboys fall 28-20 against the Giants
The Cowboys lost their season opener 28-20 at MetLife Stadium on September 13, with New York controlling much of the game. The Giants held the ball for 36:40, compared with 23:20 for Dallas, while outgaining the Cowboys 394-244.
Dallas scored three touchdowns, including two on Prescott’s passes, but the offense had only two possessions after halftime. New York scored touchdowns on its first two third-quarter possessions, extending its lead before Dallas attempted a late comeback.
Prescott’s interception changed the game
Prescott threw his only interception with 49 seconds remaining in the first half and the score tied at 7-7. He was attempting to throw the ball away while moving away from pressure, but Giants safety Jevon Holland made a sliding interception near the Cowboys sideline.
New York needed only 6 plays to turn the turnover into a touchdown, with Jaxson Dart finding Isaiah Likely for a 2-yard score. The Giants then received the second-half kickoff and drove 74 yards for another touchdown, moving ahead 21-7.
Prescott accepted responsibility for the mistake
Prescott acknowledged after the game that his interception was a crucial mistake. He explained that he was trying to throw the ball out of bounds, but recognized that he needed to make sure the pass cleared the sideline.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer also identified the interception as a major momentum swing. The coach said New York scored before halftime and then scored again after receiving the opening kickoff, producing what he called a damaging “double dip.”
Fans focused on Prescott after the loss
Some NFL fans criticized Prescott on social media following the Cowboys’ defeat, with several posts questioning his performance and role in the loss. Reports documenting the reaction included comments describing his outing negatively and comparing him unfavorably with Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart.
The criticism followed a game in which Prescott produced 175 passing yards and an 84.8 passer rating. His interception received particular attention because it occurred during a tied game and preceded New York’s second touchdown.
Prescott still produced 2 touchdown passes
Despite the interception, Prescott completed 64.7% of his passes and threw 2 touchdowns against New York. His scoring passes went to CeeDee Lamb for 1 yard in the second quarter and Javonte Williams for 17 yards in the fourth quarter.
Prescott also rushed twice for 14 yards and was not sacked during the game. His final passing total of 175 yards, however, was lower than Jaxson Dart’s 230-yard performance for New York.
Dallas struggled to create consistent offense
The Cowboys finished with 244 total yards and averaged only 3.8 yards per rushing attempt against New York. Dallas also had just 52 offensive plays, while the Giants controlled the ball for more than 36 minutes.
CeeDee Lamb finished with 5 receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown, while George Pickens recorded 3 catches for 28 yards. Pickens also had 2 first-half drops, creating problems for the passing offense during an important stretch of the game.
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart outperformed Prescott statistically
Jaxson Dart completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and 3 touchdowns during his first regular-season game against Dallas. He also rushed 11 times for 54 yards as the Giants repeatedly sustained long drives.
Dart finished with a 134.2 passer rating, compared with Prescott’s 84.8 rating. New York’s quarterback also helped the Giants convert sustained possessions into points while the Cowboys struggled to regain possession consistently.
Interesting fact: Prescott is the Cowboys’ all-time leader in passing yards, with 36,164 yards through his first 140 games with Dallas.
Cowboys’ defense also contributed to the loss
The criticism of Prescott came despite significant problems on the defensive side of the ball. New York rushed for 165 yards, averaged 4.5 yards per carry and repeatedly used short passes to maintain drives against Dallas.
The Giants also scored 4 touchdowns and gained 394 total yards. Their 36:40 time of possession limited the Cowboys’ offensive opportunities, leaving Dallas with only 2 possessions during the entire second half.
Interesting fact: Dak’s 2023 season was one of his most productive, with 4,516 passing yards and an NFL-high 36 touchdown passes while completing 69.5% of his throws.
Dallas could not complete its late comeback
The Cowboys entered the fourth quarter trailing 21-14 before Prescott connected with Williams for a 17-yard touchdown. That score reduced New York’s advantage to 8 points with 5:21 remaining in the game.
However, Williams received a 15-yard taunting penalty after the touchdown, moving the extra-point attempt to 48 yards. Brandon Aubrey missed the kick, leaving Dallas behind 28-20, and the Giants subsequently used the remaining 5:16 to finish the game.
Prescott’s performance was not the only issue
NFL analysis noted that Prescott’s interception was costly, but also pointed to broader problems across the Cowboys. Dallas struggled to stop the run, generate consistent pressure and limit New York’s short passing game throughout the contest.
The Cowboys also entered the season with a new defensive coordinator and several defensive additions. Christian Parker’s unit had not played together in a regular-season game before facing the Giants, while Dallas did not use its starters during the preseason.
Prescott says the Cowboys can respond
Following the loss, Prescott said the defeat did not change the team’s goals and described the season as a long one. He also said the Cowboys needed to use the loss as a lesson and maintain their approach rather than change everything after one game.
The Cowboys will have an opportunity to respond in Week 2 against another NFC East opponent. Washington will visit AT&T Stadium on September 20, with kickoff scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX.
The internet is also talking about Mike Tomlin revealing the NFL quarterback he would most want to coach.
Cowboys face Washington in Week 2
Dallas enters Week 2 with a 0-1 record after losing to New York, while Washington also enters the matchup at 0-1. The Commanders lost 24-22 to the Philadelphia Eagles in their season opener before traveling to Dallas for the division matchup.
The Cowboys and Commanders will meet Sunday, September 20, at AT&T Stadium. The game gives Prescott and Dallas their next regular-season opportunity to improve offensively while addressing the issues exposed during the loss to New York.
In other news, Sydney Sweeney’s Novig ad sparks backlash from women in sports.
Do you think he deserves the criticism, or should Dallas’ defensive struggles share more of the blame? Like this post and comment with your take!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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