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Looking at the schedule, it is clear the Giants will have to start out almost undefeated if they hope to make the playoffs in 2011. Seven of the first nine games are against teams that finished at or below .500 in 2010. There is nobody that can tell me the Giants can't go 8-1 in that stretch.

The Eagles and Patriots games will be very tough, but it's not out of the question that the Giants could win one of those games.

They better not start out any worse than 6-3, because the seven game stretch to end the season is brutal. They play the Eagles, Packers, Redskins, and Cowboys at home, and the Saints, Cowboys, and Jets (not really away) on the road.

Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me in the least bit to see the Giants go 1-6 in that stretch. I really hope that isn't the case, but the Giants better have a goal of starting the season hot and being able to keep up the momentum down the stretch.

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Week 1 - Giants at Redskins

Week 2 - Rams at Giants (Monday Night)

Week 3 - Giants at Eagles

Week 4 - Giants at Cardinals

Week 5 - Seahawks at Giants

Week 6 - Bills at Giants

Week 7 - Bye

Week 8 - Dolphins at Giants

Week 9 - Giants at Patriots

Week 10 - Giants at 49ers

Week 11 - Eagles at Giants

Week 12 - Giants at Saints

Week 13 - Packers at Giants

Week 14 - Giants at Cowboys

Week 15 - Redskins at Giants

Week 16 - Jets vs Giants

Week 17 - Cowboys at Giants

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It appears the NFL made a smart move in switching the opening opponent for the Giants from the Jets to the Redskins, since it will feature the two cities that were attacked in the horrible tragedy on 9/11. 

That Sunday will mark the 10 year anniversary of the attacks and the game will be played in Washington rather than New Jersey.

The Jets will open their season against the Dallas Cowboys.

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Obviously one aspect we already know is that the Giants are going to play the teams in the NFC East. Four of those games will come in the final six weeks of the season, so they definitely have a tough road at the end of the season.

They have to take care of business until then so they are able to play for the NFC East title when that time comes.

Last year, they played Michael Vick very well and were in both games to the very end. I'm not sure whether the Giants will recover from the psychological issues with blowing a 21 point 4th quarter lead at home, but if any coach can do it, Tom Coughlin can.

I expect the Giants to split the series, despite the fact that the Eagles have won the previous six meetings. Big Blue will improve on defense with the high selection of a linebacker and Perry Fewell proved that Michael Vick is still human and showed teams how to contain him. With a better personnel maybe they can do that for 60 minutes this season.

The Cowboys are a tough regular season team and played hard for Jason Garrett. They dominated the Giants in his first game as a head coach and they will be getting Pro Bowl QB Tony Romo back. The Giants will split.

The Redskins might be molding a rookie quarterback in 2011, so I don't see them as a big threat, especially since the Giants have owned them over the years. This is a sweep.

So for those counting, that's 4-2 in the division.

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According to a report by Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, the Giants and Jets will face off on Christmas Eve, and not on the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 like previously reported.

It will be a Saturday afternoon game shown by NFL network. Both teams are out to prove which is king of the Big Apple, and the roommates of The Meadowlands will expect no love lost.

Also, the Giants bye week is in week 7, which doesn't bode well for a team that has been so injury prone the past two years. Tom Coughlin would much rather have a bye week in week 8 or 9.

The Giants will only have one Monday Night Football affair against the Rams at home. I will be predicting a blow out.

Once again the NFL has felt is necessary to lode the back end of the schedule with division games; the Giants play four of the final six against the NFC East and don't play the Cowboys until Week 14.