First Take
First Take

Nov 12, 2026 · 50 min

Giants and Cowboys expose different costs of standing pat

Hour 1: Who made the bigger mistake being inactive at the deadline: Giants or Cowboys?

The deadline debate becomes a broader test of roster direction, coaching, and whether either team can capitalize on a crowded NFL landscape.

3 key takeaways
  1. 1The Giants’ inactivity raises questions about whether Cam Skattebo can become the dynamic lead back they still need.
  2. 2Dallas appears to face deeper roster and culture problems, making its decision to remain inactive more consequential than New York’s.
  3. 3Kirk Cousins’ return reshapes Minnesota’s offensive outlook while a competitive NFC North makes every Packers matchup matter.

Don't miss

The sharpest argument comes in contrasting the Giants’ emerging identity with the Cowboys’ deeper roster, coaching, and culture problems.

The brief

At the NFL season’s midpoint, the panel frames parity and second-half urgency before turning to Cam Skattebo’s response to New York’s interest in Jonathan Taylor.

The central argument compares the Giants and Cowboys after both stood pat at the deadline: New York may be defining an identity, while Dallas faces wider roster, coaching, and culture questions.

Kirk Cousins’ return to Minnesota sets up a consequential Vikings-Packers preview, with Jordan Love’s mobility tested against Brian Flores’s aggressive defense in a crowded NFC North.

The show then weighs Golden State’s win-now case after Stephen Curry’s injury, several Week 10 upset possibilities, and whether conferences still matter in a 24-team playoff.

The closing tribute to Dan Hicks shifts the episode from competitive stakes to loss, as Shae Cornette reads Hannah Storm’s statement and offers condolences to Storm and their daughters.

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