FRISCO, TX - Week 1 is in the books, and the attention now turns to either getting out of a 0-1 hole or building on a 1-0 start. For two NFC East rivals, the Dallas Cowboys (0-1) and the New York Giants (0-1), someone will begin their season with the dreaded 0-2 mark. Dallas has defeated the Giants in eight straight meetings and has won 15 of the last 16 between the two foes.
However, a revamped defensive front and veteran quarterback Russell Wilson are determined to turn the Giants' fortunes around. Here are 10 more notable 'big facts' to remember ahead of Sunday's Noon (CT) kickoff on FOX.
Another CeeDee Milestone - In Week 1, Ceedee Lamb became the second-youngest player in NFL history to reach 500 career receptions at just 26 years and 149 days of age. Only Larry Fitzgerald (26 years, 90 days) reached the milestone quicker. However, with 499 career receptions, Minnesota's Justin Jefferson should surpass Lamb and tie Fitzgerald's mark with one catch this Sunday.
Run Defense Showing Up - After being bottom five in the league last year in rushing defense, Dallas allowed just 1.8 yards per carry in the second half of Week 1's game and an average of 4.2 for the entire game. When new addition Kenny Clark was on the field, Dallas allowed just 2.8 yards per carry, while that number jumped to 6.6 without Clark in the interior.
More Money, More Pressures - Osa Odighizuwa recorded the fourth-highest pass rush win rate (18%) out of qualified defensive tackles in Week 1, according to NFL NextGen Stats. Only Joseph Ossai (30%), Milton Williams (26%), and Karl Brooks (19%) finished with higher pass rush win rates than Odighizuwa.
No Fly Zone- Since the beginning of the 2024 season, only two teams have finished a game without running a single man-to-man coverage on opposing QB dropbacks. The Bills in Week 13 last season, and the Cowboys in Week 1 against the Eagles are the only teams to do so. Dallas ran zone coverage on all 33 of Jalen Hurts' dropbacks during their Week 1 matchup.
Javonte Williams Rushing into History- With two rushing touchdowns in Week 1, running back Javonte Williams became the second player in franchise history to score multiple rushing touchdowns in his Cowboys debut. The only other player to do it was Herschel Walker in 1986. Williams could join Walker and Alvin Blout (1987) as the only three Cowboys with three rushing scores through their first two games.
Week 1's Giant Roadblock - For the third-straight season, the New York Giants did not score a touchdown in their season opener. They join the 1940-42 Detroit Lions as the only teams in NFL history to be held out of the endzone for three-straight Week 1 games. One of those games was the 2023 season opener against the Cowboys, a 40-0 Dallas win.
Giant Advantage - As mentioned in the opening paragraph, Dallas has won 15 of 16 and eight straight against the New York Giants. This is the second 15-1 stretch in franchise history, the only other streak came when beating the Cardinals 17 of 18 meetings from 1990 through 1999. It's also Dallas' longest winning streak against a certain opponent since winning nine straight against the Panthers from 1998-2012.
Dak "Hearts" New York - Over his career, Dak Prescott has completed 65.3% of his passes for 3,915 yards and 29 touchdowns against the New York Giants in 15 games. His 29 scores are his most against one team in his career, and he's won 13-straight starts against the Giants, dating back to 2017.
Another Streak on the Line - The Cowboys have gone 14-straight seasons without beginning the season 0-2, the second-longest active streak in the NFL entering 2025. The only team with a longer active streak is the Green Bay Packers, who extended their streak to 19 years after winning in Week 1. Dak Prescott is 4-0 in his career following a Week 1 loss, joining only Aaron Rodgers (6-0) and Tom Brady (3-0) as the only undefeated quarterbacks following an opening loss since 2010.
Can Russ Still Cook? - Giants starting quarterback Russell Wilson is now 0-5 over his last five starts, dating back to Week 15 last season with Pittsburgh. His 59.3 passer rating was the lowest Week 1 rating of his 14 season career and he was the oldest quarterback to be held without an offensive touchdown in the opening week.
