The Dallas Cowboys are about to host the New York Giants in Week 2, a game that looks like a simple home win for Dallas on paper. But the Giants have a nasty habit of making things messy when there’s nothing to lose. It’s something their past 0-2 starts in seven of the last 10 seasons prove. Brian Schottenheimer’s squad has to know this isn’t going to be easy. They can’t afford a shaky start with the schedule getting tougher soon, and the Giants’ pack of pass rushers and fiery receivers aren’t here to play nice. Can the Star even out their 0-1 start by delivering a clutch performance against the Giants? Here are the five biggest challenges the Cowboys face in this trap game.

The Giants’ relentless pass rush

The Giants’ pass rush is elite, maybe the best the Cowboys have faced in a while. Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen fields a nightmare trio of edge rushers in Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and rookie Abdul Carter, plus Dexter Lawrence destroying the middle. Put it all together, and it’s built to frustrate Dak Prescott all game long. Burns sniffed out two sacks in Week 1. Thibodeaux has 11.5 sacks under his belt. And Lawrence just posted a career-high nine sacks last season.

The Cowboys’ offensive line is still trying to gel, especially with Tyler Guyton rebounding from injury but not yet dominating. Prescott wasn’t sacked against Philadelphia, but this Giants front is another beast entirely. If the Cowboys can’t keep this pass rush away from Prescott, expect a very long day for Schottenheimer’s offense.

Stopping Malik Nabers is non-negotiable

If the Giants’ offense were a house, Malik Nabers would be the smoke alarm blaring constantly. The second-year wideout exploded last season with 109 catches and over 1,200 yards, making plenty of noise against Dallas, too. In 2024, Nabers notched 20 catches for 184 yards against the Cowboys but failed to find the end zone. But now, with Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland sidelined because of injury and Trevon Diggs still building stamina, the game looks rough.

But the Cowboys’ own receiving corps isn’t making life easy for the QB either. CeeDee Lamb coughed up four costly drops in the opener, turning potential plays into thin air. That kind of inconsistency adds pressure on Lamb to bounce back fast and be the reliable target Prescott desperately needs in a game where every possession counts.

Run game momentum: Will it continue?

After last season’s historically bad rushing stats, Dallas got some confession from reality against the Eagles. Javonte Williams’s performance, 15 carries for 54 yards with a painful slip in pass protection, showed promise but with rough edges. The Cowboys badly need this ground game to stay consistent, to keep defenses honest and open up the pass game.

Miles Sanders’ 49-yard run was the kind of explosive moment Dallas craves. But rookie Jaydon Blue is inactive? That’s a question mark about depth and confidence in alternatives. Brian Schottenheimer knows he must iron out running back consistency soon or risk pressure on Prescott to do too much. The running game is their safety valve. If it struggles, the Giants’ pass rush feast begins.

Question marks surrounding the linebacker corps

The Cowboys’ linebackers didn’t set the field on fire in Week 1. Kenneth Murray Jr. and Jack Sanborn posted the lowest PFF grades among starters. Marist Liufau was mysteriously restricted to just six snaps despite decent grades. The Eagles shredded Dallas on the ground for 158 yards and three touchdowns.

This run defense issue needs fixing fast, or the Giants’ less potent offense might still exploit the ground game to chew clock and keep Dallas’s offense off the field. With Micah Parsons gone to Green Bay, this weakness looms large.

Defensive takeaway woes could haunt Dallas again

When the Cowboys were at their best, forcing turnovers was a cornerstone. Against Philadelphia, they failed to snatch any interceptions or strip any balls. Matt Eberflus’ defense needs playmakers who can create game-changing snaps. With a quieter pass rush early in that game, Dallas allowed the Eagles to sustain drives, which will not cut it if they want to avoid a second loss.

Turnovers can swing momentum fast. Against the Giants, a team desperate for a win, the Cowboys cannot afford to gift extra possessions. After all, Jerry Jones traded Parsons with a Super Bowl in mind for Prescott, not for the defense to just hand the ball away and watch that dream slip even further out of reach.