Giants Triumph Over Cowboys 34-17 to Close Disappointing 2025 Season

5 January 2026 Sport

Introduction: A Divisional Rivalry Concludes Challenging Campaigns

The New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys, two storied franchises in the NFC East, concluded their disappointing 2025 seasons with a Week 18 showdown on 4 January 2026. The Giants beat the rival Dallas Cowboys 34-17 on Sunday to finish their lost season on a two-game winning streak. This matchup held significance beyond pride, as the most important thing about this game for the Giants might be what position they end up in for the 2026 NFL Draft, as a victory on Sunday meant the Giants could fall as low as the No. 7 overall pick.

Game Details and Key Performances

The New York Giants (3-13) hosted the Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1) on Sunday, January 4, with kickoff set for 1:00 pm ET on FOX. The Giants dominated from start to finish at MetLife Stadium. Rookie Jaxson Dart had a career-high 110.2 passer rating, Tyrone Tracy Jr. posted a personal-best 159 yards from scrimmage, and linebacker Bobby Okereke forced multiple turnovers en route to a 34-17 victory over the Cowboys.

Dallas approached the game differently than their opponent. Dallas (7-9-1) took it more like an exhibition game, including Dak Prescott exiting after halftime, as Prescott completed seven of 11 passes for 70 yards and lost a fumble off a botched snap before being replaced at quarterback by Joe Milton to begin the third quarter. Meanwhile, Dart joined Eli Manning (2004) as the only rookie quarterbacks in franchise history to beat the Cowboys.

Season Implications and Looking Forward

The Cowboys finished at 7-9-1, their first time posting back-to-back losing records since three straight 5-11 efforts from 2000-02. For the Giants, the result means they can select no higher than No. in the upcoming NFL Draft after finishing 4-13.

Both organisations now face significant decisions. A coaching search is in the offing for the Giants, with the question of whether general manager Joe Schoen will oversee it. Despite the disappointing outcome, two more TD passes by rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart showed why there’s so much organizational optimism about the future. This divisional clash marked the end of difficult campaigns for both teams, but provided a glimpse of potential for New York’s rebuild around their promising young quarterback.