National Football League

Giants to open season vs. Cowboys

Published Mar. 27, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

Ross Jones

The New York Giants will host the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 5 at 8:30 p.m. ET for the season’s opening game, the NFL announced Tuesday.

The NFL moved the date of the first game to a Wednesday night to avoid a conflict with President Barack Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention, which is scheduled for Sept. 6.

The meeting between the two teams will be a rematch of the Week 17 game that vaulted the Giants into the playoffs. New York went on to win Super Bowl XLVI against the New England Patriots.

The Giants beat the Cowboys each time they played in the 2011 season. New York had its season turn around in Week 14 when the G-Men overcame a 12-point deficit in Dallas with a little more than five minutes remaining.

Both teams have been able to keep most of their core intact during the offseason. However Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham tested the free-agent market and landed with the San Francisco 49ers, while running back Brandon Jacobs remains looking for a new home.

The Cowboys, most notably, signed former Chiefs cornerback Brandon Carr and released veteran Terence Newman.