Jets, Giants accomplish feat not done since 2009 season

New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Jets, Giants accomplish feat not done since 2009 season

By Andrew Wright | Last updated Sep 14, 2026 10:59 AM ET

It must feel extremely great to wake up on Monday in New York as a fan of the New York Giants or the New York Jets.

Both teams opened their 2026-27 season with convincing wins and, in the process, accomplished something that hasn't been done between the two teams in almost 20 seasons.

Giants and Jets are both 1-0 for the first time since 2009

With the Jets knocking off the Tennessee Titans 23-10 and the Giants knocking off the Dallas Cowboys 28-20, both New York football teams are 1-0 to start the season.

It is the first time that both the Giants and Jets have begun a season 1-0 since the 2009 season. That is almost an unfathomable stat and just shows how bad football in New York has been for nearly two decades.

New York, New York: this is the first time the Giants and Jets both opened 1-0 since 2009, when their head coaches were Tom Coughlin and Rex Ryan. pic.twitter.com/yGBcZ9Uwg9
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 14, 2026

Which team is more equipped for long-term success?

From an overall talent perspective, the Giants are likely the more talented team than the Jets, and that puts them in a better position for more long-term success.

The Jets do have some intriguing weapons on offense in the form of Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson and rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq. They have to be fed the ball by someone, though, and one year of Geno Smith compared to several future years of Jaxson Dart gives the Giants the QB advantage.

Can the Jets take advantage of a manageable schedule?

With the way New York looked in Week 1, analyzing the schedule becomes a bit trickier. The Jets welcome the Green Bay Packers in Week 2 after their massive collapse in Week 1. Weeks 5-7 also include games against the Browns, Patriots and Dolphins, all of which look like beatable teams.

A couple of upset wins mixed into the next six weeks, and the Jets may be among the top surprise teams headed toward the NFL trade deadline and back half of the season.

Andrew Wright

Andrew "Dew" Wright graduated from Charleston Southern University with a degree in Communication Studies. He is a lifelong Chicago Cubs and Washington Commanders fan.

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