Manning and Giants defense was a total dud in Dallas. Photo by contrastphotography.com

The Giants players may have traveled to Texas, but Big Blue’s offense must have stayed in New Jersey.

Cowboys ace kicker Dan Bailey booted four field goals, but the Cowboys scored just 19 points against tough Giants defense. Trouble was the Giants’ offense didn’t hold up its end of the deal. They scored only on rookie Aldrick Rosas’ 25-yard field goal, and left Texas with a 19-3 loss and a 0-1 record.

“Tough way to open the season,” said coach Ben McAdoo, who celebrated his first career victory here in 2016. “Give Dallas all of the credit. They came out here and won the ballgame. We have a long week to get better as a football team (before hosting Detroit next Monday night). We have a lot of work to do. Our complimentary football was nonexistent tonight.” Asked what he meant by complimentary football, McAdoo said, “all three phases playing together.”

The Giants finished with 223 total yards, including just 35 on the ground, 13 first downs, and four successes in 12 third-down conversion opportunities. They owned the ball for only 25:46.

“The offense was very disappointing,” said McAdoo, a coach who always tries to stress the positive. “We are going to go back and look at the film and see how we can get better.”

The Giants were without three-time Pro Bowler and big-play specialist Odell Beckham, Jr., who was inactive because of the ankle injury he suffered in Cleveland on Aug. 21. \

“Obviously he is a tremendous player, but we got players,” quarterback Eli Manning said. “We got to play better than that. We got to do a better job finding completions on third down, converting those third downs and we’ll do a better job of that.”

The Giants first five possessions ended in punts. The Giants averaged 2.9 yards a carry, and their longest run was 12 yards. The longest gain by starter Paul Perkins was three yards. Manning was sacked three times, hit four times and hurried more than he’d care to remember.

“I know no part of the offense was functional tonight,” McAdoo said.

Brandon Marshall, a marquee free agent acquisition who is expected to give Manning a big target, particularly in the red zone, caught one pass, a 10-yarder on the game’s final play.

“It’s a team question,” Marshall said when asked if he was frustrated. “We had high hopes. It was Sunday night football, and we wanted to put on a good show for ourselves, and our fans. It didn’t happen, and it’s disappointing. But it’s a long season. That’s a division foe, and they played a hell of a game. We’ll see them again come winter time (on Dec. 11 in MetLife Stadium), and we’ll have to come prepared. We’ll be ready”

Scoreboard Week 1

Chiefs 42, Patriots 27

Steelers 21, Browns 18

Ravens 20, Bengals 0

Falcons 23, Bears 17

Lions 35. Cardinals 23

Jaguars 29, Texans 7

Raiders 26, Titans 16

Eagles 30, Redskins 17

Bills, 21, Jets 12

Rams 46, Colts 9

Panthers 23, 49ers 3

Packers 17, Seahawks 9

September 11th, 2017

Saints at Vikings (7:10 p.m.)

Chargers at Broncos (10:20 p.m.)