The Dallas Cowboys boast one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL, but Brian Burns isn’t worried. Instead, the New York Giants’ edge-rusher’s ready to target the fatal flaw on the Cowboys’ unit in Week 1.
Burns revealed the Giants’ plan when the Cowboys visit MetLife Stadium for Sunday Night Football. Speaking to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News (h/t Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio), Burns put the focus on Cowboys’ right tackles Terence Steele and Broderick Jones.
As Burns explained, “They’re both pros. Not to disrespect anybody’s craft or anything like that, but the fact that they are so concerned in that area does, I guess, raise some form of an alert in our minds, as far as like just knowing that they’re having struggles. . . . So we can definitely see that as an opportunity to exploit.”
The Cowboys would likely dispute their level of concern after naming Steele as the starter. Yet, Florio pointed out, “if the Cowboys had full faith in him, they wouldn’t have traded for Jones.”
This level of uncertainty offers elite quarterback hunter Burns and the Giants’ other high-profile edge-rushers the ideal early opportunity to show they can dominate more consistently than in recent seasons.
Brian Burns Can Lead Multiple Raids on Cowboys’ Weak Spot
The Cowboys haven’t been shy about generating their own hype. Quarterback Dak Prescott dubbed his offense “GOTI, meaning ‘Greatest Offense There Is,'” per Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
That’s a bold statement, but Prescott and the Cowboys have reached greatness against the Giants in recent years. He’s thrown for eight touchdown and 786 yards across three of the last four meetings, according to StatMuse.
Ensuring Prescott rarely has enough time to target star wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens is the Giants’ priority. Enter Burns, who can lead Big Blue’s cadre of dynamic edge defenders on multiple raids at the biggest weakness on the Dallas O-line.
Steele may get the starting nod, but he “allowed 52 pressures, six sacks, and nine quarterback hits in 2025,” per Inside The Star’s Cody Warren, citing Pro Football Focus. Those numbers help make sense of the decision to trade for Jones, even after the latter failed to make the grade as a first-round draft pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Jones and Steele aren’t the only soft spot for Burns and Co. to attack. There’s also left tackle Tyron Guyton, who “did show some signs of improvement in his second season in the league: His PFF grade improved from 49.4 as a rookie to 57.5 last year, but there is still a lot of growth needed,” according to PFF’s Gordon McGuinness.
Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux should all feast against the edges of the Cowboys’ front. Particularly if new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson provides some scheme help.
Wilson can overload protection by stacking two of his edge-rushers on the same side. The Giants could also attack Cowboys’ right tackles by blitzing rookie inside linebacker Arvell Reese. Or by adding the player former defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale calls an “unbelievable” blitzer to the rush.
Any of these options will help a suspect Giants’ front three further expose more problems for the Cowboys.
Giants’ Defensive Line Can Prove a Point
A potential carousel on the right side isn’t the only weakness up front the Giants can target. The Cowboys are also missing a three-time Pro Bowler along the interior.
His absence will offer a revamped Giants’ defensive line an early chance to prove critics wrong. It’s a group lacking star power after All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Wilson is relying on journeymen maulers D.J. Reader and Shelby Harris to replace Lawrence. It’s a risk, but more gambles include making big plans for a favorite of new head coach John Harbaugh, while also shifting the odd man out in the edge rotation down into the trenches.
This hotchpotch group is key to keeping blockers off the stars on the edge and letting Burns, Carter and Thibodeaux cause havoc. Starting with wrecking the fragile foundations of the Cowboys’ otherwise explosive offense.
Brian Burns Reveals Giants’ Plan to Stop Cowboys