The Dallas Cowboys lost their season opener to the New York Giants 28-20 on Sunday night, a result that revealed the team's defensive shortcomings remain from a year ago despite being a trendy Super Bowl pick heading into the season. "This is a humbling business and we got humbled tonight," Schottenheimer said after the loss. "We just didn't perform the way we're capable of playing."

Multiple outlets identified discipline and execution as primary problems. Per reporting on the specifics, the Giants converted 9 of 11 third-down chances, while the Cowboys committed seven penalties for 60 yards in just the first half alone. One account noted that Dallas left "far too many plays on the field" through a combination of penalties and missed opportunities.

Reporters characterized the loss as a comprehensive defensive failure. One analyst wrote that the defense would "come in for the most severe scorching, and deservedly so," while another noted the Giants "outplayed the Cowboys in almost every way." The Cowboys acknowledged the result fell short of expectations. "Not our standard," the team indicated when addressing the gap between their preseason hopes and their Week 1 performance.