Cowboys vs. Giants Week 1 Picks: Best Bets, Odds and Predictions for Sunday Night Football

NFL

September 13, 2026

By BUSR Sports Desk | Published September 13, 2026 | Last updated 2:00 p.m. ET today

Quick answer: The Dallas Cowboys are 3-point favorites (-172 moneyline) over the New York Giants (+139) tonight at MetLife Stadium, with the total set at 47.5. BUSR’s top play is the Over 47.5, with Dak Prescott’s passing yards prop the best player bet on the board. Kickoff is 8:20 p.m. ET.

What Are the Odds for Cowboys vs. Giants Tonight?

Dallas opened as road favorites for Week 1’s Sunday Night Football opener, and the number has held steady through the week. Here’s the full board as of today:

Market	Dallas Cowboys	New York Giants
Spread	-3	+3
Moneyline	-172	+139
Total	47.5 (Over/Under)
Kickoff	8:20 p.m. ET, MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)

Who Should You Bet On: Cowboys or Giants?

The Cowboys are the sharper side on paper, but the number is close for a reason. Dallas finished 7-9-1 last season and is still chasing its first playoff appearance in three years, and its defense was a real liability, ranking 30th in the league in points allowed at 30.1 per game. That soft defense is a big part of why this total sits close to 48.

New York enters with a fresh start: John Harbaugh makes his coaching debut after the Giants finished 4-13 last season, and quarterback Jaxson Dart gets the first real test of the new regime under the lights. Home underdogs in a spot like this, new coach, national TV game, tend to keep things closer than the moneyline suggests.

Is Malik Nabers Playing Tonight?

Yes, Malik Nabers is trending toward active. He’s listed as questionable with a knee injury, but he practiced in full all three days of Week 1 prep, which is typically a strong signal a player suits up. His snap count is still worth checking closer to kickoff.

Elsewhere on the injury report, Cowboys running back Malik Davis is out (hip), which slightly thins Dallas’s backfield depth behind the starter tonight.

Best Player Props for Cowboys vs. Giants

Both starting quarterbacks project to clear 200-plus yards through the air, with the passing props doing most of the heavy lifting on this total:

Player	Prop	Line
Dak Prescott (Cowboys)	Passing Yards	Over 265.5
Jaxson Dart (Giants)	Passing Yards	Over 230.5

Dak Prescott’s history against the Giants also stands out heading into tonight. Dallas has been on the winning side in 14 of his last 15 outings against New York, a trend that supports leaning toward the Cowboys’ passing game staying involved deep into the fourth quarter.

Cowboys vs. Giants Prediction: Final Score and Best Bet

Simulation-based models built on roughly 10,000 runs of this matchup project a final score near Cowboys 28, Giants 24, comfortably clearing the 47.5 total. Games involving Dallas cleared 49-plus combined points in 13 of 17 outings last season, another data point supporting the Over.

Best bet: Over 47.5. Best side: Cowboys -3.

FAQ: Cowboys vs. Giants Week 1

What time is Cowboys vs. Giants tonight?

The Cowboys and Giants kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET tonight, September 13, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, as the Week 1 Sunday Night Football game.

What is the point spread for Cowboys vs. Giants?

The Dallas Cowboys are favored by 3 points over the New York Giants. The moneyline is Cowboys -167 and Giants +140, with a total of 47.5 points.

Is Malik Nabers playing tonight?

Malik Nabers is listed as questionable with a knee injury but practiced fully all three days of Week 1 preparation, which points toward him being active for Giants vs. Cowboys.

Who is favored to win Cowboys vs. Giants?

The Dallas Cowboys are favored at -167 on the moneyline and -3 on the spread over the New York Giants, who are starting John Harbaugh’s head coaching tenure and quarterback Jaxson Dart.

What is the over/under for Cowboys vs. Giants?

The total is set at 47.5 points. Simulation models project roughly 55 combined points, which is why the Over is the more popular side of the total.

Odds, injury statuses, and model projections referenced above reflect publicly reported lines and injury reports as of the afternoon of September 13, 2026, and are subject to change up to kickoff. Verify current numbers at BUSR before wagering.

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