Giants vs. Cowboys, Week 1: Dallas tops visitors in Week 1 nightcap

Here is a look at the play:

Prior to the injury, Romo was 25-of-33 for 188 yards, a touchdown and an interception. According to the team, Romo had the wind knocked out of him and he returned in the second half of the game.

It moves like something out of The Matrix, and it lets you see exactly what the Cowboys offense is doing wrong:

The activation of Pierre-Paul provides a huge boost for the Giants’ defense, as coaches hope he’ll be able to return to his form from 2011. Last year was a poor season for Pierre-Paul, who managed to get Pro Bowl honors despite finishing with just 6.5 sacks on the year.

Here are the full inactive lists for both teams:

The NFL’s afternoon slate includes two key NFC games that will help determine the early standings in the NFC West.

• An early 2014 mock draft

Of the two, there’s likely more pressure on Dallas. Having missed the playoffs for three years running, a six-year, $108 million contract for Romo is a big signal that they expect things to change. Romo passed for a career-high 4,903 yards in 2012, but he also tied his career-high 19 interceptions and posted a career-low 90.5 passer rating. New York’s pass rush dried up in 2012, and Romo will need that to continue in Week 1.

Tom Ryle of Blogging the Boys thinks that the Cowboys’ investment in guard Brian Waters will pay dividends for a long time to come:

Dallas is starting over with a new defensive scheme, as the team hired Monte Kiffin to switch to his trademark Tampa 2. Jason Garrett is starting the season on the hot seat and already was stripped of his playcalling duties -- Bill Callahan will be calling the plays this year.

Despite the near-constant drama in Dallas, most experts are picking them to beat the Giants this week. Eight of 10 ESPN panelists are picking the Cowboys, and they are also favored by six of eight analysts on CBS Sports. The current line favors Dallas by 3.5 points, and five of eight CBS experts expect them to cover the spread.