"I'm smelling coffee...and it's gotta be strong for the Cowboys game!"

Do any of you like coffee in the morning?.. and I don't mean "de-crap" (decaf) - No, I'm talkin' black, driveway-sealer high-test, the kind that curls toenails, got me? Good, so go grab a cup, wake up and smell the NFC East (s) Hoedown between Texas and New York!...no cream and sugar, by the way..

Picture this - you're a Dallas Cowboys fan, it's Sunday morning September 13th, 2026 and you know the New York Giants are hosting the Cowboys at 8:20 that night on NBC. You turn over and look at the clock. Slowly a smile starts on your face. You know the Giants have done well in the draft this spring, but even better - the Cowboys are poised to strike first with a shiny new Defense, a polished Head Coach and a veteran QB in his 10th season. You can already smell the morning coffee...

It's the 2026 season opener at MetLife Stadium (in East Rutherford, New Jersey) It's Sunday night now and fans are already packing out the seats and channeling their TVs for SNF with Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth ready to entice viewers to a true NFC East rivalry slugfest.

After a quick bite you grab another strong cup of Joe and listen in to the crowd noise while the team captains approach center field and shake hands. After the Head Ref flips the coin, Cowboys win the toss and defer to start the 2nd half on offense.

Man, you gulped that coffee like a wide-eyed rancher spooked by a rattler! (but wait, you're at home watching a game on an 80" OLED flat screen TV!) Calm down now, cowboy.. you gotta sip that brew, nice and easy like...

And so, there ya go - the Giants start off with their up-and-coming QB Jaxson Dart and newly acquired Francis Mauigoa helping out on the front line. They end up 3 and out due to a surprising new changes on a 4-3 defense and much improved run tackling from Cowboys linebackers thanks to the new DC Christian Parker. 

Next up -  Dak and the boys get busy with a couple strikes to Cee Dee Lamb and George Pickens and, with added help from Javonte Williams and Jaydon Blue they quickly drive the Cowboys down to the Red Zone. A fast fade 20 yard pass to Cee Dee Lamb and the Cowboys are on the board. After a few adjustments, the Giants come back to tie things up until the end of the 1st half when Brandon Aubrey kicks a 42 yard field goal leading the Cowboys to a 10-7 lead at Halftime.

Well, so the story goes like this - the Cowboys come out swinging at the start of the 2nd half with Dak throwing monster passes to George Pickens and a couple nice slant tosses to Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker. Surprisingly, Jaydon Blue becomes the star runner with whirling dervish moves that stun the Giant's run defense. At the end, and after 3 sacks and an interception from Caleb Downs, the Dallas Defense and Christian Parker's play calling prove too much for the green-team Giants, and the Cowboys pull off an impressive 28-13 win in New Jersey; Brian Schottenheimer, wearing a slight smile, walks across field to shake hands with the always grinning John Harbaugh, then heads to the Cowboys locker room for post-game team praise and "Jerry-jawing", then off to the airport for a nice flight back to Dallas.  

Next stop - the Redskins, er, Commanders come to Dallas September 20. Anyone want to place bets with Jerry Jones on that outcome?? 🤠☕