Giants' John Harbaugh reign starts with statement win over bitter-rival Cowboys... thanks to Ravens defectors

The New York Giants are now 1-0 under first-year head coach John Harbaugh, who guided his new team to a 28-20 win over the rival Dallas Cowboys thanks to major contributors from two of his fellow defectors from Baltimore.

Former Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely had eight catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns in his first game with the Giants since following Harbaugh over from Baltimore. Meanwhile, ex-Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard proved pivotal in the running game, as New York's Cam Skattebo gained 81 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.

Ricard was particularly instrumental on Skattebo's first-quarter score. After initially lining up on the right side of the line, Ricard then shifted left before the snap before obliterating Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who was knocked back into the end zone on the play.

But the man of the hour remained Harbaugh, who donned NYPD and FDNY hats during the game to honor New York emergency responders killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks 25 years ago. 

'I was overconfident,' Giants co-owner John Mara told the locker room after awarding the game ball to Harbaugh. 'I really was. And I was right! I was right!' 

Asked where this win ranks among the 181 victories of his NFL career, the 63-year-old couldn't help but think of his 87-year-old father, Jack, a former coach in his own right who was on hand at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. 

'It's number one because it's the one right now,' Harbaugh told reporters. 'My dad always says that. He'll say this in the car on the way win. He'll say: 'John, you've never had a better win than that.' He says it every time. And I'm gonna tell you, this time it might be true.' 

Skattebo was particularly happy with the win after the Giants gained 165 yards on the ground.

'From day one, [Harbaugh] told us he wants to punish the other team and run the ball,' Skattebo told reporters after the win.

And although he'd been warned by Harbaugh against doing his famed back flips on his surgically repaired ankle, Skattebo did exactly that to punctuate his first touchdown of the season. 

As Skattebo sees it, Harbaugh doesn't want to stifle his players' personalities.  

'He wants me to be who I am. He wants me to be confident, be me,' Skattebo said of Harbaugh. 'When I'm me, I'm able to be like that on the field. If they try to take me out of who I am, they know that you might not get the full me. They allow me to be me.' 

The defense was equally excited for Harbaugh after limiting the the second-highest scoring offense in the NFL last season to a modest 20 points on Sunday.

Although they didn't record a sack, the Giants did pick off Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, while limiting Dallas' vaunted receiving duo of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens to just eight catches for 72 yards. 

'I'm really here for Harbaugh, man,' edge rusher Brian Burns said after the win. 'I love Harbaugh.' 

But the best sign for Giants fans may have been second-year quarterback Jaxon Dart's performance.

Not only did he toss for three touchdowns and 230 yards on 23-of-29 passing, but Dart took only two sacks for a combined loss of a single yard – a dramatic departure from his rookie season when he was taken down 35 times in 14 games.

Many of those sacks last season were avoidable, according to NBC analyst and former Cincinnati Bengals receiver Cris Collinsworth.

'It's huge,' Dart said after the win. 'We were confident, put in a lot of work. Coach Harbs really pushed us.'