The New York Giants made a statement to start the 2026 season. They defeated their division rival, the Dallas Cowboys, 28-20 on Sunday Night Football. It marked the first time New York beat Dallas in Week 1 since 2016. Three years ago, Big Blue opened their season with a 40-0 loss to the Cowboys. This time, the Giants looked much more competitive.
The Giants are 1-0 for the first time since 2022. Sunday night’s win gave fans reason to be optimistic for the rest of the season. However, they face a tough test in Week 2. New York will travel to LA to play the Rams on Monday Night Football. The Rams enter this matchup at 0-1, but their Week 1 was an international game. They arrived in Australia just one day before the game, creating an unusual travel situation.
This time, they will be back home in familiar territory. Entering this season, the Rams were favorites to win the Super Bowl, and for good reason. They have the reigning NFL MVP, Matthew Stafford. Their offense also features an impressive group of playmakers, including Kyren Williams, Puka Nacua, and Davante Adams.
The Rams also made blockbuster trades for star pass rusher Myles Garrett and cornerback Trent McDuffie. Additionally, defensive lineman Aaron Donald has returned from retirement to join the Rams this season. Garrett is on injured reserve with a knee injury, but Donald could make his season debut.
The Rams are one of, if not the most talented rosters in the league. The Giants will certainly have their hands full in Week 2. Still, John Harbaugh’s team showed in Week 1 that it can compete with quality opponents. If New York wants to leave Los Angeles with a 2-0 record, it will need to execute in several key areas. Here are the factors that could determine whether the Giants can pull off the upset.
Establishing the Running Game
The running game was key to the Giants’ Week 1 win over the Cowboys. Cam Skattebo rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown on 18 attempts. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry. New York dominated the time of possession last week. They had the ball for 36 minutes, while Dallas had it for just 23 minutes. The Cowboys had just two offensive possessions the entire second half.
Big Blue’s ground game allowed them to waste clock and keep the Cowboys’ high-powered offense off the field. They will have to do that again if they want to beat the Rams. LA had arguably the best offense in the NFL in 2025. The Giants can’t afford short offensive drives and to let the Rams control the game.
Running the ball effectively will also keep New York’s defense well rested. That could be especially important against an explosive Los Angeles offense. Quarterback Jaxson Dart played very well in Week 1, but he can’t do it all himself. He needs the run game to take pressure off of him and keep the Rams’ defense honest. If New York can consistently move the ball on the ground, control the clock, and limit the Rams’ offensive opportunities, it will give the Giants a chance to pull off the road upset.
Myles Garrett‘s absence is a major loss on the Rams’ defensive front. Even if Aaron Donald is back, he may be limited to a few snaps. The Giants offensive line performed well in the run game last week. Los Angeles has shown vulnerability against the run so far. With Garrett in the lineup in Week 1, the Rams surrendered 5.8 yards per carry. Against a weaker defensive front, New York’s offensive line has a chance to dominate the line of scrimmage and create running lanes for Skattebo.
Get Malik Nabers More Involved
Star wide receiver Malik Nabers made his anticipated return from a torn ACL last week. He played just 52% of the snaps, but made an impact when on the field. Nabers caught six of nine targets for 69 yards. He and Dart seemed on the same page despite not playing a lot together. As Nabers gets healthier, he should see more snaps in the next few weeks.
The Rams’ secondary gave up over 200 yards and three touchdowns to the 49ers last week. Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson are a solid cornerback duo, but Nabers has the ability to create matchup problems for them. If the game turns into a shootout, the Giants will have to throw a lot to keep up. That could give the young receiver more opportunities to make plays.
Dart showed a good rapport with Nabers against Dallas. The two should continue to build chemistry as the season progresses. Nabers can make plays at every level of the field, whether on short, intermediate, or deep routes. If the Giants want to start the season 2-0, they should look for ways to consistently get their star receiver involved in the offense.
Protect the Football
To beat a great team like the Rams, the Giants need to protect the football. Last week, the Giants fumbled four times. Luckily, they recovered three of them. Big Blue cannot afford to be careless with the ball on Monday night. During practice this week, Coach Harbaugh stressed the importance of ball security.
“One of the things that is non-negotiable is ball security. We’re putting the ball on the ground entirely too much. It’s got to change. Every single ball carrier has got to make sure that it gets better, and it’s up to us as coaches.” Against a talented opponent, the margins for error are thin. The Giants need to eliminate the costly mistakes that could give the Rams extra possessions.
Running back Tyrone Tracy lost a fumble against Dallas in Week 1. If he plays Monday night, he needs to prioritize ball security. A turnover could give the Rams a short field and quickly change the game.
Ultimately, taking down the Rams will not be an easy task. Los Angeles will be motivated after their Week 1 loss and will be looking to avoid starting the season 0-2. If the Giants can establish the running game, consistently involve Malik Nabers, and protect the football, they will give themselves a chance to pull off the upset. A 2-0 start after beating the Cowboys and Rams would give New York plenty of reason for optimism heading into the rest of the 2026 season.
Leave a comment