Tough luck: New York Giants' 2025 NFL schedule analysis

The 2025 NFL regular season schedule has been released and things have already gone from bad to worse for the G-Men.

Last year, the Giants and Bills tied for the league’s sixth-toughest schedule, this year (per NFL research) they’ll have the league’s toughest schedule all to themselves.

Here’s what stands out about the schedule:

Toughest stretch | Week 1 through Week 4

Head coach Brian Daboll needs a hot start to get off the hot seat in 2025, but it’s not likely given New York’s September opponents. First up is a road game against rival Washington, who swept the season series in 2024, followed by another road game against rival Dallas, who also swept the Giants last season.

The team won’t play a home game until Week 3, a Sunday night matchup against the AFC champion Chiefs. They’ll round out the month with another home game against an AFC West opponent, Jim Harbaugh’s L.A. Chargers.

October isn’t much better with two games against the Super Bowl champion Eagles, but games the Saints and Broncos should offer less resistance in Weeks 5 and 7.

Easiest stretch | Week 17 and Week 18

Typically, 3-14 teams don’t get easy stretches; every game is hard. A three-game win streak may be out of reach but the Giants could end their regular season with two straight wins.

The (4-13) Raiders should be better with running back Ashton Jeanty, the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft, on the roster but unless division rivals like the Chiefs and Chargers fall apart, Las Vegas will be out of playoff contention by Week 17.

If so, they’d have no reason to risk injury to a player as important Jeanty.

Norse remorse | (Week 16)

Prior to the 2024 NFL Draft, Giants fans hoped their team would use the sixth overall pick to replace quarterback Daniel Jones who signed a four-year, $160M contract extension the year before. Instead, they took wide receiver Malik Nabers.

Former Michigan quarterback and J.J. McCarthy went to the Vikings four picks later but missed the entire 2024 season after tearing his meniscus in Minnesota’s first preseason game. The team managed a 14-3 record with Sam Darnold at quarterback but let him sign with the Seahawks this offseason.

Meanwhile, New York traded back up into the first round in this year’s draft to take Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, who should assume starting duties over Russell Wilson by late December.

Look for McCarthy to show the Giants what they missed and Dart to show what they didn’t when the 22-year-old quarterbacks meet at MetLife Stadium.

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