The start of the 2026 NFL season did not go according to plan for the Dallas Cowboys. Facing their division rival New York Giants in Week 1 of the new campaign, the Cowboys failed to execute when it mattered the most as they suffered a 28-20 defeat. Quarterback Dak Prescott, in particular, was not at his best — completing just 22 of his 34 passes on the night for a total of 175 yards.

Prescott did throw two touchdown passes, and he kept the Cowboys in the game by doing so. However, to end the first half of play, the Cowboys QB made a backbreaking error. With the clock winding down in the second period and the score tied at 7-7, Prescott found himself having to execute on a 3rd & 5. The Giants were quick to rush towards him, forcing him to make a quick decision under pressure.

Alas, Prescott ended up throwing a deep pass while running backwards. The Giants then secured a pick on that deep ball, with Jevon Holland snatching the Cowboys QB's throw. After the game, Prescott revealed that he intended to throw the ball out of play instead of gifting it to the opposition, as per Calvin Watkins of Dallas Morning News.

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Perhaps throwing it more convincingly towards the out of bounds line would have been more helpful for the Cowboys during that point of the game. This would have at least given them the chance to punt the football, making it more difficult for the Giants to score to end the half.

However, that wasn't what happened. After Holland picked off Prescott's throw, the Giants quickly turned things around and scored — giving them a 14-7 lead at the halftime interval.

This set the Giants up for a big second half, and they were the team that scored first after halftime, putting the Cowboys on the backfoot. Prescott did come up huge for a touchdown to cut the deficit to eight towards the end of the fourth period, but the Giants did just enough on defense to wall off the Cowboys and hold on for the victory.