John Harbaugh says his debut as New York Giants coach was “more than I expected” after two touchdowns by Isaiah Likely helped the hosts win their opener 28-20 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Super Bowl XLVII winner Harbaugh left the Baltimore Ravens after 17 years to take charge of the Giants, calling the atmosphere at the MetLife Stadium for NFL Week 1 “absolutely electric from beginning to end”.
“This crowd,” marvelled the 63-year-old. “I’m telling you, the parking lot was off the chain driving in here. It was packed – I’m talking like four-and-a-half hours before the game.
“I got here early, thinking it was going to be easy to get in here, and it wasn’t. The sideline was electric before the game. The whole thing was just quite an environment and really great to be part of it.”
Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants: Harbaugh explains ‘mindset’
Jaxson Dart provided Likely’s touchdowns and supplied Devin Singletary with anothe after Cam Skattebo scored the first on the running back’s return from injury.
Dak Prescott’s throw allowed CeeDee Lamb to draw Dallas level during the second quarter and Javonte Williams also reduced the deficit twice.
“My dad always says this – he’ll say this in the car on the way home – that I’ve ‘never had a better win than that’,” said Harbaugh.
“He says it every time. This time it might be true. But this was really special because these guys… have believed from the beginning, don’t bat an eye [and] just try to do the right thing every single day, to be on point.
“Even when they’re not on point, they’ll bounce back and make it right. Maybe there’s a false start, they’ll come back the next play and find a way to make a play and erase the mistake and make it right and make it better.
“Buying into that kind of mindset just in practice and seeing it happen in the game – that’s what, as a coach, you feel so good about.”
New York Giants: MetLife ‘unbelievable’ on NFL Week 1
Harbaugh said the MetLife Stadium was “incredible”. “It was everything that you would think, but it was more than I thought,” he reflected.
“I want us to play well enough that we can create that atmosphere every single week here throughout the season.
“That’s up to us. That’s our job as coaches and players: to create a football team good enough to deserve that type of stadium every time we play.”
Malik Nabers injury: Giants receiver returns
Malik Nabers took six catches for 69 yards after spending almost a year out with an injury to the receiver’s right knee.
“I got a sense two-and-a-half, three hours before the game when he went out and tested it,” said Harbaugh.
“He felt ready. That’s when the decision was made. It was his call. He had been cleared medically but he had to feel ready.
“He had to feel like he was ready to go and perform the way he wanted to, and he did. He played a great game; he played a heck of a game.”
Jaxson Dart: Why Giants quarterback’s display was ‘great’
Dart completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards. “Seeing the quarterback execute the way he did… he had a lot on his plate, too,” said Harbaugh.
“We can get better in and out of the huddle, to the line, calling the plays, all kinds of things, operation-wise.
“But Jaxson did a great job of managing that because there was a lot for him to manage. Some of those throws at the line of scrimmage on the sideline were just pinpoint-accurate type throws.
“It was a great performance by Jaxson. We had a really good game plan. The coaching staff really worked well together.
“We had a lot of good plays that we felt could be difference-making plays in the game. You’ve got to have those kind of plays and that was one of those calls.
“The first touchdown run was one of those calls, too, where you just try to create plays that are going to make a difference for us. They did a great job with that.”
Here are some of Dart’s key statistics against the Cowboys.
| Completions (attempts) | Yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions | Sacks |
| 23 (29) | 230 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
NFL Week 2 schedule
Thursday, September 18: Detroit Lions @ Buffalo Bills – 01:15 BST.
Sunday, September 20: Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons – 18:00 BST
Sunday, September 20: New Orleans Saints @ Baltimore Ravens – 18:00 BST
Sunday, September 20: Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears – 18:00 BST
Sunday, September 20: Cincinnati Bengals @ Houston Texans – 18:00 BST
Sunday, September 20: Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots – 18:00 BST
Sunday, September 20: Green Bay Packers @ New York Jets – 18:00 BST
Sunday, September 20: Cleveland Browns @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 18:00 BST
Sunday, September 20: Philadelphia Eagles @ Tennessee Titans – 18:00 BST
Sunday, September 20: Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos – 21:05 BST
Sunday, September 20: Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers – 21:05 BST
Sunday, September 20: Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals – 21:25 BST
Sunday, September 20: Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys – 21:25 BST
Sunday, September 20: Miami Dolphins @ San Francisco 49ers – 21:25 BST
Monday, September 21: Indianapolis Colts @ Kansas City Chiefs – 01:20 BST
Tuesday, September 22: New York Giants @ Los Angeles Rams – 01:20 BST
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: 101greatgoals.com
