After Dallas acquired Rashan Gary, fan reaction was mixed. Training camp form and a New York offensive line with notable weaknesses give Gary a clear opportunity to make an immediate impact in the season opener.
Rashan Gary has recent production: 24 sacks in the last three seasons and 39.5 over the last five.
Giants' offensive line is thin outside of Andrew Thomas, creating favorable matchups for Cowboys edge rushers.
Dallas' improved front — additions like Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams — makes it harder for the Giants to pick one rusher to stop.
Bay. The move drew mixed fan reaction even though Gary is a proven pass rusher coming off several productive seasons.
Gary entered training camp playing well, and the season opener against the New York Giants presents a matchup that favors him. Gary has 24 sacks over the last three seasons and 39.5 across the last five, so creating pressure is within his established skill set. The Giants' starting offensive line lacks depth and experience outside of Andrew Thomas. That lineup composition suggests multiple favorable one-on-one opportunities for Dallas' edge players.
On paper the Giants have several question marks: John Michael Schmitz is injured and described as unproductive, Jeremaine Eluemunor is penalty-prone, Francis Mauigoa is making his NFL debut, and Jon Runyan Jr. is a former teammate of Gary's. That amounts to mismatches on four of five starting spots, making it easier for Cowboys pass rushers to attack.
The Cowboys' pass rush as a unit has been upgraded, which means the Giants can't simply game-plan to single out Gary. Interior pieces like Kenny Clark and the addition of Quinnen Williams should help collapse pockets and create lanes for edge rushers. That could force New York into "pick-your-poison" situations where Gary will face less consistent single-block scenarios and more stunts, blitzes, or mismatches involving inexperienced linemen.
New York's Week 1 starter, Jaxson Dart, is projected to face more pressure than recent Giants quarterbacks did. With the offensive line shortcomings and Dallas' improved front, getting to Dart should be easier than in previous seasons. That gives Gary a concrete chance to make game-impacting plays — sacks, hurried throws, and pressures — in his Cowboys debut.
What this game settles and what it doesn't
A strong Week 1 performance would provide immediate vindication for Dallas' decision to trade for Gary and would quiet early doubters. It would also show the edge-rusher can win favorable matchups and take advantage of improved interior pressure. It will not alone solve every defensive question for the Cowboys, but it would be a clear, measurable step toward validating the offseason move.
Dallas Cowboys fans must do their best to be patient amid Rashan Gary's slow start to the 2026 NFL season, as history says his production will come in bunches.
The best way to straighten out the side-eyed reactions to Greg Newsome II claiming the Giants have “the best cornerback room in the league” is to prove it against arguably the NFL’s best receiver duo. And that’s the season-opening challenge that the Cowboys’ 2,500-yard pairing of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens poses Se
The Dallas Cowboys kickoff their 2026 NFL season against a familiar foe, their division rival, the New York Giants. While these two teams always play one another tough, it’s a matchup that has heavily favored the Cowboys in recent years, and there’s no reason to believe that will continue this season. There are a few [
The Dallas Cowboys will regret overlooking New York Giants tight end Isaiah Likely when the teams lock horns this Sunday.
Dallas Cowboys first-round pick Malachi Lawrence has quietly been very efficient rushing the passer in his first two NFL games.
Nobody with the Dallas Cowboys is pleased about the defensive performance in Week 1 against the New York Giants. Defensive tackle Kenny Clark said they’re focused on Washington and improving the mistakes made in Week 1, mainly communication. “It’s not always as good as this. It’s not always as bad as this. I mean, you
Loading more related stories...
Open the app view to save this story, compare related coverage, and continue from the same source.