Dallas Cowboys debut rebuilt defense against New York Giants on Sunday

The Dallas Cowboys open their 2026 NFL season this Sunday against the New York Giants with a heavily restructured defensive unit. Following a 7-9-1 finish in 2025 where the defense allowed 30.1 points per game, the organization replaced defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus with Christian Parker. The team also overhauled its personnel by adding Caleb Downs, Rashan Gary, Quinnen Williams, and Von Miller to bolster the front seven and secondary. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network expressed optimism regarding the team's potential for improvement under the new coaching staff. The upcoming contest serves as the first competitive test to determine if these changes will resolve the defensive shortcomings that hindered the offense last season. The team continues to navigate personnel challenges as well, with one player recently carted off the practice field expected to miss significant time.

• 12:25 PMYahoo Sports — NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport ‘excited’ about Cowboys’ defense ahead of 2026 opener