Football fans who tuned in for the Dallas Cowboys’ 2025 home opener against the New York Giants on Sunday, September 14, got far more than they bargained for—a wild, penalty-filled, and utterly dramatic contest that saw the Cowboys eke out a 40-37 overtime victory at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This wasn’t just another chapter in the lopsided rivalry; it was a game that will be talked about for years, especially by those who witnessed the relentless back-and-forth in the final minutes and the heroics of kickers and quarterbacks alike.
The Cowboys, now 1-1, extended their dominance over the Giants to nine straight wins—the longest active streak among NFL division rivals. For Dak Prescott, it marked his 14th consecutive victory against New York since dropping both starts to them as a rookie in 2016. Meanwhile, the Giants, falling to 0-2 for the 10th time in the past 13 seasons, were left searching for answers after another heartbreak in Arlington.
The game’s opening was filled with anticipation, as fans packed the stadium for Dallas’ first home game of the season. The matchup was broadcast on FOX and streamed on several platforms, including fuboTV, DirecTV, and Hulu + Live TV, with radio coverage available on SiriusXM for both teams. The Cowboys sought to avoid a repeat of their 2009 home debut—spoiled by the Giants—and, by the final whistle, had done just that, though not without plenty of drama along the way.
From the outset, both teams traded blows, but it was the fourth quarter where the contest reached fever pitch. In the final 12 minutes alone, the teams combined for five go-ahead touchdowns, with 41 total points scored in the quarter and an astonishing 17 points in the last 52 seconds of regulation. Every possession felt like a potential game-winner, and the roller-coaster of emotions was palpable on the field and in the stands.
Russell Wilson, starting at quarterback for the Giants after a tough Week 1, delivered a vintage performance. He completed 30 of 41 passes for 450 yards and three touchdowns—the second-highest yardage total of his 14-year career. Wilson’s connection with Malik Nabers was electric, with Nabers hauling in nine catches for 167 yards and two touchdowns, including a 48-yard bomb that gave the Giants a 37-34 lead with just 25 seconds left. Wan’Dale Robinson also had a career day, catching 10 passes for 142 yards and a crucial 32-yard touchdown on fourth down late in the game.
But Prescott and the Cowboys always seemed to have an answer. Prescott finished 38 of 52 for 361 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, orchestrating drives under immense pressure. With 52 seconds remaining, he found George Pickens for a 6-yard touchdown, briefly putting Dallas ahead. Then, after Nabers’ second score swung the lead back to New York, Prescott coolly led the Cowboys to the Giants’ 46-yard line, setting up kicker Brandon Aubrey for a 64-yard field goal to tie the game as regulation expired. The kick was just two yards shy of the NFL record and sent the stadium into a frenzy.
“It was a must-win,” Prescott said after the game. “Not to be 0-2 in the division.”
The overtime period, played under the NFL’s new rules guaranteeing both teams a possession as long as the 10-minute clock permits, was tense and chaotic. Both teams traded punts, and when the Giants regained the ball, Wilson tried to force another deep shot to Nabers. This time, however, Dallas safety Donovan Wilson intercepted the pass at the Cowboys’ 30-yard line with two minutes left in overtime, giving Prescott and company one last shot.
Prescott responded with a gutsy 14-yard scramble, moving Dallas into field goal range. Aubrey, whose leg had already stunned the crowd once, calmly drilled a 46-yard field goal as time expired in overtime, sealing the Cowboys’ 40-37 win and sending Giants fans home with yet another painful memory from Arlington.
“If my man [Aubrey] for the Cowboys didn’t have a bionic leg, we probably do win,” Giants receiver Darius Slayton said, echoing the frustration of a team that has now lost nine straight to Dallas and 16 of the last 17 in the rivalry.
The wild finish overshadowed a game marred by penalties, especially for the Giants. New York was flagged 14 times for a staggering 160 yards—a franchise record and their highest since 1947—while Dallas wasn’t far behind with 12 penalties for 106 yards. Giants head coach Brian Daboll didn’t mince words: “That one was tough. Not going to sugarcoat it.” Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II was even more blunt: “I think we beat ourselves — too many penalties and too many mental errors today and that’s kind of what dictated the game.”
There were plenty of other storylines. Rookie running back Cam Skattebo scored his first career touchdown for the Giants on a 1-yard run early in the fourth quarter, while Dallas’ Miles Sanders answered with a 4-yard rushing score. CeeDee Lamb continued his hot streak for Dallas, posting his fourth consecutive 100-yard receiving game dating back to last season, finishing with 112 yards and making two contested catches in the frantic fourth quarter.
The Giants’ defense, built on high-profile pass rushers and big-name additions in the secondary, couldn’t make the critical stop when it mattered most. Despite an interception by cornerback Dru Phillips in the third quarter, New York failed to convert and turned the ball over on downs in the red zone—a missed opportunity that loomed large as the points piled up in the fourth quarter.
Injuries also played a role. Giants linebacker Darius Muasau exited with a concussion in the second half, while the Cowboys lost wide receiver KaVontae Turpin to a neck injury in the third quarter and center Cooper Beebe to an ankle issue after halftime. On the Dallas side, cornerback DaRon Bland was already sidelined with a right foot injury, and Trevon Diggs, returning from two major knee injuries, managed to play a partial role in the secondary.
Adding to the Giants’ woes, rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart made his NFL debut, appearing for three snaps and handing off for a 24-yard gain on an RPO, but it was Wilson who handled the bulk of the offensive load. Still, the Giants’ inability to hold onto late leads and their record-setting penalty woes proved too much to overcome.
Next up, the Giants will try to regroup as they host the Kansas City Chiefs in their home opener next Sunday, while the Cowboys hit the road to face the Chicago Bears. After a game that featured lead changes, record-breaking kicks, and relentless drama, both teams have plenty to think about as they prepare for Week 3. For the Cowboys, their streak over the Giants lives on—a streak that, after Sunday’s thriller, looks as unbreakable as ever.
