Jason Leach
There’s a whirlwind of opinions about what the New York Giants can be this upcoming NFL season.
Some believe with John Harbaugh as head coach and Jaxson Dart entering his second season, along with the additions the team made this offseason, they can contend for a playoff berth. While others feel the additions were modest and they’re still holes across the roster, which will result in another losing season.
Much of New York’s success will come down to a six-game stretch following their bye in Week 8. During this stretch, they play four playoff teams that had a combined 63-39 record in 2025, including the Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks.
Every game in the NFL is important, but how Big Blue comes out of this stretch of grueling games will confirm if they’re contenders or pretenders.
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Week 9: At Philadelphia Eagles
New York hasn’t won in the city of Brotherly Love since 2013, but this year the schedule breaks in their favor to end this streak. New York is coming off a bye, and the week prior to this matchup, the Philadelphia Eagles play at the Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football.
With the Eagles trading A.J Brown to the New England Patriots and the new addition to the Giants’ roster, the gap between these two teams should have closed. With Harbaugh having two weeks to prepare, this is New York’s best chance to end their 12-game losing streak in Philadelphia. A win will be confirmation that things will be different under this new regime.
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Week 10: Home Against Washington Commanders (Thursday Night)
Washington has gotten the better of New York recently as they swept the season series the last two years. Depending on what happens in their Week 5 matchup, in this game they’ll have the opportunity to return the favor and sweep their division rival or split this year’s series.
If Big Blue is going to have a winning season, they have to be able to defeat the team that is the worst in their division. Quarterback Jayden Daniels will present a problem due to dual-threat ability, but if they can’t beat the Commanders at home, they won’t have a winning season.
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Week 11: Home Against Jacksonville Jaguars
Led by quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the best teams in the AFC, as they are the reigning AFC South Champions. In addition to Lawrence, the Jaguars have a formidable defense that gave up the eighth-fewest points in the league last season.
If the Giants are ready to ascend from being the doormats of the league, they’re going to have to pull off some upsets at home. Although this is a non-conference game, a win over Jacksonville will prove that the team is heading in the right direction.
Week 12: At Indianapolis Colts
This game will be highlighted by the theme of whether Daniel Jones gets revenge on the team that gave up on him. But in reality, the biggest problem the Indianapolis Colts pose is running back Jonathan Taylor, who was third in the NFL in rushing last season with 1,585 yards.
The Giants had the 31st-ranked run defense a season ago, and all of the players and coaches have emphasized that the number one priority this year is to stop the run. This will be a tall task for fifth overall pick Avrell Reese and the rest of the front seven to shut down one of the best rushing offenses in the NFL.
Week 13: Home Against San Francisco 49ers
The Giants and San Francisco 49ers have been polar opposites over the last few years. Since 2021, the 49ers have had four double-digit winning seasons and one losing season. In that same span, New York has had four-double digit losing seasons and one season where they had a winning record.
The 49ers have won the last three matchups between these two teams, including a 34-24 victory in Week 9 last year at MetLife Stadium. With both teams having their eyes on the playoffs, this contest will have playoff implications. With a win here, New York will show the tide is turning in their favor. But a loss will show they’re not ready for the big time yet.
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Week 14: At Seattle Seahawks
Few, if any, are going to give the Giants a chance of beating the Super Bowl Champions on the road. The Seahawks gave up the fewest points in the league last year, and the Sam Darnold to Jaxon Smith-Njigba connection was unstoppable in 2025, as the 24-year-old wideout led the NFL in receiving yards.
If both teams are healthy, it would take a miracle for New York to pull off the upset. But in the NFL, anything can happen on any given Sunday. A surprise win on the road that nobody saw coming could be what catapults the team into having their first winning season since 2022.
The way things stand today, the Giants will be underdogs in these stretches of games with the lone exception of the Commanders game. The key will be to make sure this six-game stretch doesn’t turn into a disaster with the team going 1-5 or 0-6.
You want to keep the season afloat as you head into the final month still in playoff contention, and playing meaningful games in late December and January. Following this gauntlet of games, will see how far the team has come under John Harbaugh.
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