Dan Salomone: The Giants play 10 games against teams who made the postseason in 2024 – Eagles twice, Commanders twice, Packers, Vikings, Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos, and Lions – which is tied for third-most in the league. The Eagles and Lions have the most with 11 apiece.
The Giants' 2025 opponents went 166-123 in 2024, good for a .574 winning percentage, the highest in the NFL. Looking at their NFC East foes, the Eagles have the fourth-toughest schedule in terms of winning percentage (.561); the Cowboys are tied for fifth (.557); and the Commanders are eighth (.550). The San Francisco 49ers, meanwhile, have the "easiest" road in the NFL at .415.
But no two seasons are ever the same, a sentiment that defines the NFL more than any other sports league.
According to NFL Research, four of the past five teams with the "easiest" strength of schedule missed the postseason (2024 Saints and Falcons were tied, 2023 Falcons, 2022 Commanders). Conversely, two of the past four teams with the "hardest" schedule made the postseason (2023 Eagles, 2021 Steelers).
Furthermore, the NFL boasts a streak of 35 consecutive seasons with at least four teams qualifying for the playoffs after missing out the year before. And at least one team has won its division the season after missing the playoffs in 53 of 55 seasons since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. The outliers were 2024 and 1976, the only years in which the division winners were all in playoffs the prior season.
That is a long way of explaining that one year matters very little to the next because rosters never stay the same.
"I'm excited to see how this team comes together," Joe Schoen said after his fourth draft as general manager. "I like the players that we have. I like the makeup of the players. I'm confident in the coaching staff, and I'm excited for the 2025 season."