The Giants got a lucky draw with their schedule for next season, as the Big Blue will face the 4th easiest slate of contests for the upcoming NFL year.
Last season, the G-Men’s scheduled opponents for the coming year boasted a combined win percentage of .465 — lower than all but their 3 divisional rivals.
The Eagles (.464), the Commanders (.462) and Cowboys (.462) are the only clubs with easier strength-of-schedules for the 2022-32 season.
NFC East teams have struggled in recent years, with a combined record of 32–36 last year. As always, the 4 teams in the division will face off against each other twice (once and home, and once on the road).
The division has matched up with the AFC South this year — meaning that their only cross-conference contests will come against the Colts, Jaguars, Texans, and Titans. Those 4 teams boasted a forgettable 28–40 record last year.
The G-Men also got a lucky break when the NFL announced that the team would head across the pond for their game against the Packers, which will take place on Oct. 9 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and will count as a road game for Big Blue — saving them from a daunting trip to Lambeau Field.
In addition to that London game, they will play 9 games at MetLife Stadium, and 7 games on opposing teams’ home turf.
For more coverage of the Giants, head to amNY.com.
The lucky schedule draw will come as a relief for rookie head coach Brian Daboll, who was hired by the Giants after a stint as the offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills.
Daboll, along with fellow first-year general manager Joe Schoen (who also comes from Buffalo), will spend the year evaluating 4th-year quarterback Daniel Jones, who is set to become a free agent in lieu of a contract extension after this season. If Jones fails to prove himself, the team could move on to another passer, rather than commit millions of dollars to the 24-year-old product from Duke.
Despite their precarious cap situation, the G-Men have made significant progress in bolstering their roster — mostly through last month’s NFL Draft, when they selected 11 players, including defensive lineman Kayvon Thibodeaux 5th overall, and offensive tackle Evan Neal with the 10th pick.
Despite the improvements, and the lucky schedule, the Giants are not betting odds favorites to make the playoffs. According to the popular sportsbook DraftKings, the G-Men boast +250 odds to see postseason action (meaning that gamblers would win $3.50 for every $1 wagered), while those wagered against the team would see -360 odds (to win $0.27 on a $1 bet).
Meanwhile, the team is the lowest-ranked team on DraftKings to win the division at +800. The Cowboys, who won the division last season with 12 wins, are favored to repeat at +130, followed by the Eagles at +190 and the newly-renamed Commanders at +450.
The Jets, on the other hand, boast an upcoming schedule that is tied for the 15th-easiest in the NFL, with an opponent win percentage of .495 last season.
Below is a full list of matchups for the Giants and Jets:
2022-23 Giants matchups:
- Bears (home)
- Colts (home)
- Commanders (home + away)
- Cowboys (home + away)
- Eagles (home + away)
- Jaguars (away)
- Lions (home)
- Packers (London)
- Panthers (home)
- Ravens (home)
- Seahawks (away)
- Texans (home)
- Titans (away)
- Vikings (away)
2022-23 Jets matchups:
- Bears (home)
- Bengals (home)
- Bills (home + away)
- Broncos (away)
- Browns (away)
- Dolphins (home + away)
- Jaguars (home)
- Lions (home)
- Patriots (home + away)
- Ravens (home)
- Seahawks (away)
- Steelers (away)
- Packers (away)
- Vikings (away)