Week 1 of the 2026 regular season is officially here. While the Dallas Cowboys won't play in the first game of the season, they will be under a spotlight as they visit the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football.Dallas has had the Giants' number as of late, especially when Dak Prescott is under center. Prescott is now 14-3 in his career against the NFC East rival, although the most recent loss was in last season’s Week 18 finale when Prescott hardly played.That doesn’t mean the Cowboys can go into this one expecting it to be easy. The Giants underwent some big changes in the offseason, including hiring a Super Bowl-winning coach in John Harbaugh.Even with Harbaugh on the sidelines, however, the Cowboys are the favorites. To ensure they don’t have a letdown and leave Week 1 with a loss, they need to focus on these three keys to victory.Offensive tackles must hold their ownNew York Giants linebacker Brian Burns rushes Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Terence Steele off the line of scrimmage. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectTerence Steele and Tyler Guyton will be in the spotlight this week as they face a daunting New York pass rush. Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and Kayvon Thibodeaux all present unique challenges and entering Week 1, it’s safe to say the two offensive tackles are the biggest concerns for Dallas.The good news is that Guyton has been impressive throughout camp, but we still need to see this in action. As for Steele, he had his consistency called out by head coach Brian Schottenheimer and faces competition from Broderick Jones. As a new arrival, Jones won’t be ready for a big role this Sunday, meaning the Cowboys need their returning starters to hold their own to keep the offense from falling apart.Secondary needs to be on the same pageDallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs during the first half against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectWe can't put too much stock in the Week 18 matchup between the Cowboys and Giants since both teams were already eliminated from the playoffs by then and had nothing to play for. Early in the year, there was much more on the line and that's the game Dallas should be worried about.The Cowboys hosted New York in Week 2 and Russell Wilson was unreal with 450 yards passing and three touchdown passes. In all, the Cowboys surrendered 506 yards and needed a 64-yard kick from Brandon Aubrey to force overtime, where they escaped with a 40-37 victory.That was the norm for Dallas thoughout the 2025 season as their defense was a mess. One of the more frustrating aspects was their lack of teamwork in the secondary. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker has brought in a whole new scheme and plenty of talent. That said, the secondary has to be on the same page in this one to secure a win. This doesn’t mean they need to be elite, but they can’t have the communication breakdowns that haunted them all of last year.Javonte Williams needs to be steady force on offenseDallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams runs with the ball against New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectIn 2025, the Giants were 31st in the NFL against the run and they enter this season without Dexter Lawrence, who was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals. New York does have a new coaching staff and while John Harbaugh has historically been good against the run, the Cowboys have the advantage here, even without Tyler Smith who recently went to the IR following thumb surgery.This isn't to say there's no one to stop the run, since New York does have D.J. Reader, but Williams managed to rack up 1,210 yards in his first season with Dallas. He needs to go into Week 1 and show that he's still a steady force on offense, which will take some pressure off the shoulders of Dak Prescott while helping to open up the passing game. The Cowboys want to win with the big plays, but that only happens if they do the little things right, and that begins with Williams controlling the tempo on the ground.—Sign up for the Cowboys Daily Digest newsletter for more free coverage from Dallas Cowboys on SI—Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow