The Dallas Cowboys picked up right where they left off from last year in Sunday’s 2023 season opener against the New York Giants, utilizing their dominant defense to earn an impressive shutout victory.

The Cowboys earned a 40-0 win, embarrassing the Giants in front of their home fans at MetLife Stadium and a prime-time audience on Sunday Night Football. After leading the league in turnovers forced last season, Dallas recorded three takeaways and also notched seven sacks while giving up just 174 yards of offense in the blowout.

The team set the tone early when New York’s opening drive ended with Noah Igbinoghene recovering a blocked field goal and returning it 58 yards for a touchdown. Later in the first quarter, Daron Bland picked off Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and took it back to the house. Jones later threw another interception to Stephon Gilmore that led to another Cowboys touchdown.

In the first half alone, the Cowboys held the Giants to just 81 total yards while sacking Jones four times and took a 26-0 lead into the locker room. While Dallas’ defense dominated, quarterback Dak Prescott and the team’s offense played a clean game with no mistakes.

Fans on social media couldn’t help but praise the Cowboys defense for its outstanding showing on Sunday night:

Dallas cowboys clearly have the best defense in the <a href=”https://twitter.com/NFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@NFL</a> <br><br>don’t @ me with the non sense

I’ll give you the 49ers offense might be a little better than the Cowboys’ right now. But the Cowboys have THE BEST DEFENSE IN THE NFL.

I TOLD YALL COWBOYS HAVE THE #1 DEFENSE IN THE NFL

Cowboys defense CAME TO PLAY 😤<br><br>(via <a href=”https://twitter.com/NFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@NFL</a>)<a href=”https://t.co/jrOEKx9vQQ”>pic.twitter.com/jrOEKx9vQQ</a>

COWBOYS DEFENSE WITH ANOTHER TAKEAWAY 🤯<br><br>(via <a href=”https://twitter.com/NFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@NFL</a>)<a href=”https://t.co/1MK2hykVNV”>pic.twitter.com/1MK2hykVNV</a>

The last time an NFL team had their first two touchdowns of a season on special teams and/or defense was Minnesota in 2016 (at TEN, 9/11). It’s the first time in Cowboys history that the first two touchdowns of the season came from defense and/or special teams. <a href=”https://t.co/K7tTv3lFjj”>https://t.co/K7tTv3lFjj</a>

Cowboys defense had hit Daniel Jones more than the rain has.

The Dallas Cowboys have seven sacks in tonight’s game, the second-most in a season opener in team history, trailing only the 1994 season opener when Dallas tallied nine sacks against Pittsburgh (9/4/94).

This Defense is something special. <br><br>My LORDTTTT

Dorance Armstrong with another sack on Daniel Jones. The Cowboys’ defense has 3 sacks on Jones and the first half of the game isn’t even over yet.

The Dallas Cowboys defense is insane.

Bruh this DALLAS COWBOY DEFENSE IS CRAZY!

Dallas Cowboys defense is BUZZZZIN<br><br>Football GAWDS giving ’em bounces as well… is this THE YEAR for the same ol’ Boys?

This Cowboys defense is LOADED with playmakers who can fly — Thomas and Bell kept jumping off my screen in preseason games.

My gawd this Cowboys defense 🔥🔥🔥

Cowboys defense FLYING around and looking great

Dallas’ defense was so dominant that Prescott didn’t play the last 11 minutes of the game. He finished with just 143 yards on 13-of-24 passing. The Cowboys totaled 122 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground, with Tony Pollard leading the way with 70 yards and two scores on 14 carries.

The Cowboys will try to keep the momentum going in Week 2 when they host the New York Jets.