A Week 17 clash for all the marbles. No, we’re not talking about playoff implications or division titles; we’re talking about Sunday’s Week 17 Tank Bowl between the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders.
The No. 1 overall pick at the 2026 NFL Draft is up for grabs. Both teams are 2-13, which is tied for the worst record in the league with just two games remaining. This marks just the fourth time in NFL history since the merger in 1970 that two teams with the worst records in the league meet in the final two weeks of the regular season.
It’s more surprising that the Raiders are in this situation. Quarterback Geno Smith appeared to turn the corner in his late-stage development to be a legitimate franchise passer. That has not happened, especially behind the worst offensive line in all of football.
The Giants are on a nine-game losing streak with little signs of improvement after firing head coach Brian Daboll after a Week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears and elevating offensive coordinator Mike Kafka to interim head coach. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has regressed since the coaching change in an offense that is missing two of its most important pieces in wide receiver Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skatteno. Granted, they were not going to reverse Big Blue’s fortunes that much.
Securing the No. 1 pick would likely be more important for Las Vegas, considering they need a franchise quarterback, which the Giants already seem to have in Dart despite his difficulties working with Kafka. Should the Giants come away with that top pick, though, they can trade it to a QB-needy team to accrue more future assets — say a top-five pick and another future first-rounder.
This surrounds an otherwise worthless game with plenty of intrigue. Just don’t expect the football to be any good.
