The last time the Dallas Cowboys opened a season at MetLife Stadium, things got pretty ugly for the New York Giants. Daniel Jones threw for just 103 yards with two interceptions while taking seven sacks. Cowboys star Dak Prescott wasn’t all that great either. But the Cowboys were able to capitalize on the Giants’ mistakes, handing them a 40-0 blowout loss. NYG linebacker Brian Burns is confident that they’ll be the ones doing the damage in their upcoming matchup this season. 

“I wasn’t here for that, but 40-0, you know we’re gonna hear a lot about that leading up to this one,” Burns said on May 13. “But, damn sure I’m gonna want to redeem it this time around. There’s a lot of hype and hope around this season for us, and obviously, people have bought in. Now it’s about making it happen.”

In that 2023 season opener, the Cowboys dominated every phase of the game. They blocked the Giants’ field goal attempt on the opening drive, and Cowboys’ cornerback Noah Igbinoghene returned it 58 yards for a score. Cowboys’ kicker Brandon Aubrey added two field goals, while running back Tony Pollard punished New York’s defense with 70 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. There was also a Giants interception that was returned for a touchdown by Dallas, which shows how bad things really were.

That shutout became the biggest season-opening victory between the NFC East rivals, surpassing the Cowboys’ 35-0 win from back in 1995. This year will mark the ninth time in the last 20 years that the Cowboys and Giants will face off in the season opener.  

Dak Prescott, in particular, has owned the Giants. New York holds just a 3-14 record against Dallas when Prescott has started the games. The Cowboys have also recorded 14 straight wins after the Giants swept them during Prescott’s rookie season in 2016. New York was finally able to beat the Cowboys again in the 2025 regular season finale. 

This time, however, the New York Giants have reloaded with better talent. Led by Jaxson Dart, who threw for an impressive 230 yards and two TDs as a rookie against the Cowboys, the team has some serious oomph. They have also entered a new era under head coach John Harbaugh, who plans to play ‘bully football.’ Brian Burns himself will be an important part of that plan.

Can Brian Burns help the Giants get revenge against the Cowboys?

The Giant’s LB has already shown that he can create problems for Dallas. In last season’s Week 2 matchup, he recorded three tackles, two tackles for loss, and sacked Dak Prescott once. He followed that up in Week 18 with two tackles, one tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit. But containing Prescott and Co. will still be a challenge for Burns.

This year, the elite QB will return with his equally elite weapons in George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, who both crossed the 1,000-yard receiving mark last season. That’s a scary matchup for any defense, but it will be even more difficult for the Giants, who lost their defensive anchor this year.

However, Burns is now the face of New York’s defense, since the Giants no longer have star tackle Dexter Lawrence anchoring the middle. The Giants have also built a younger core this offseason, leaving Burns as the only veteran leader on defense. But they can still rely on the three-time Pro Bowler.

During the 2025 season, Burns recorded 16.5 sacks, which was a significant jump from his 8.5 sacks in 2024. Dak Prescott better watch out for him when they meet each other in the 2026 season.