The luck of the schedule draw is again working against the Giants.
The Giants will face all the teams in the NFC West and the AFC South — the winningest (or co-winningest) divisions in their respective conferences — in 2026 as part of the annual division rotation in the schedule formula.
But all is not as discouraging as it sounds.
There are only seven games against playoff teams on the schedule.
The Cardinals, 49ers, Jaguars, Titans, Browns, Saints, Commanders, Eagles and Cowboys will visit MetLife Stadium.
The Giants will travel to the Seahawks, Rams, Texans, Colts, Lions, Commanders, Eagles and Cowboys.
The dates, times and order of those games will be announced by early May.
The Rams will play a home game in Melbourne, Australia, so the Giants are one of nine opponents under consideration for that trip.
Finishing in last place in the NFC East for the second straight year only means three corresponding “last-place games” that are different from the opponents drawn by the rest of the division: The Browns, Saints and (Super Bowl hopeful) Lions.
The Giants played the NFL’s ninth-hardest schedule this season, according to ESPN analytics.
It was ranked as the most difficult entering the season based on 2024 opponents’ winning percentages.
Tyrone Tracy Jr.’s 159 yards from scrimmage put him over 1,000 for the second consecutive season to start his career (1,028).
It was a strange ride for Tracy, who opened the season as the starter, lost his job due to injury when Cam Skattebo ascended and then reclaimed the bulk role once Skattebo was lost to injury for the season in Week 8.
“He gave a lot of praise to the offensive line, the tight ends, the coaches,” interim head coach Mike Kafka said, “but he has to make the plays as well. And he did.”
Dexter Lawrence played only 14 of 54 defensive snaps when he needed to play about 38 to get to 70 percent for the season and earn a $500,000 bonus, according to The Athletic.
Lawrence was battling an illness all week.
How did he feel after the win?
“Sick,” Lawrence said bluntly.
Even with Wan’Dale Robinson sidelined for by a rib injury, WR Jalin Hyatt could not crack the active roster.
He was a healthy scratch for the fourth time.
In his place, WR Gunner Olszewski had eight catches for 102 yards.
His previous career high was 39 receiving yards.
Olszewski nearly had his second touchdown pass of the season but he short-armed a throw to wide-open TE Chris Manhertz.
Jermaine Eluemunor missed one snap with an ankle injury but returned to the game, which says something about the pending free agent’s durability and commitment as so many others in his position around the NFL shut it down in Week 18.
In Eluemunor’s place, James Hudson took his first offensive snap since he was penalized four times on one drive in Week 2 against the Cowboys.
Cowboys DT Quinnen Williams, an ex-Jet, was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for knocking down LT Marcus Mbow after Jaxson Dart’s second touchdown pass.
Donovan Ezeiruaku ripped off RG Greg Van Roten’s helmet on the same play and was ejected.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
