New York Giants: Breaking Down 5 Toughest, 5 Easiest Games on 2015 Schedule
The 2015 NFL schedule was released this week, keeping the conversation fresh in the days leading up to the draft. Since the release, busts and sleepers have been put on hold, while certain games have been highlighted and predictions have been flying.
Looking ahead to the New York Giants' 2015 slate, a few weekends stick out more than others. Some games stand out because they should be easy wins, others because they're particularly difficult matchups.
This slideshow will comb through New York's schedule, alternating between easy and tough games. The contests get easier/tougher as the article progresses, so start clicking to find out the Giants' easiest and toughest opponents in 2015.
Tough: Week 13, vs. New York Jets
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To most teams, playing the New York Jets in the regular season is a gift. The Jets won only four games last season, finishing last in the AFC East.
The Giants aren't most teams, though; they're the Jets' crosstown rivals.
The two New York franchises share a home field—MetLife Stadium—and although they face off in the Snoopy Bowl every preseason, these inter-conference foes only meet during the regular season every four years. In 2011, the Jets were considered the home team, so the Giants will receive the home-field "advantage" this time around.
This game will be a defensive battle. First-year head coach Todd Bowles comes to the Jets from the Arizona Cardinals, where he coordinated a top-five defense in terms of points per game allowed. Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will have a tough time getting open against Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis.
The Giants may need to count on creating takeaways, which shouldn't be too difficult if Geno Smith is still the Jets' starting quarterback by then.
Easy: Week 3, vs. Washington Redskins
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Two of the Washington Redskins' five wins in 2011 came against the Giants, who went on to win the Super Bowl that postseason.
Since that season, however, the Giants have dominated the rivalry. They've won five of the last six meetings, sweeping the 'Skins series in back-to-back years.
After claiming the NFC East crown in 2012, the Redskins have finished last in the division each of the last two seasons, winning only seven games during that span. Former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Robert Griffin III hasn't been as lethal from the quarterback position since injuring his knee.
Perhaps Jay Gruden can turn the Redskins around in his second season as head coach, but he and RG3 appear destined for more drama.
Tougher: Week 4, at Buffalo Bills
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This may come as a surprise to New York fans, but there's an up-and-coming franchise upstate.
Yes, believe it or not, the Buffalo Bills are going to be a tough team to beat in 2015. They showed progress in two seasons under Doug Marrone, finishing with their first winning record since 2004 last year (9-7). A spark plug like Rex Ryan at head coach might be just what Buffalo needs to catch a little playoff fever.
Who knows? Maybe the Bills put some pressure on the Patriots for this year's AFC East title.
The Bills don't have a starting quarterback yet, but they do have LeSean McCoy, who's known to give the Giants some trouble in the past. Buffalo acquired McCoy in an exchange with the Eagles in which Philadelphia received linebacker Kiko Alonso.
Since the Giants travel to Buffalo early in the season (Week 4), the upstart Bills could have the element of surprise on their side.
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Easier: Week 6, vs. San Francisco 49ers
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A couple of years ago, this would have been one of the tougher matchups on New York's schedule. But the league changes quickly, and the 2015 clash with the San Francisco 49ers shouldn't keep the Giants up at night.
Last year, things fell apart for the 49ers, as a former playoff powerhouse found out it was no longer compatible with its head coach. So, after an 8-8 season, Jim Harbaugh and the 'Niners parted ways—or maybe he was fired—and promoted former defensive line coach Jim Tomsula to replace him.
Since then, linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland have had high-profile retirements. Another defensive standout, defensive end Justin Smith, may also retire, according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, who cited "multiple league sources" back in early March.
With running back Frank Gore now an Indianapolis Colt and quarterback Colin Kaepernick looking a bit less dynamic than he did a couple of years ago, there's not much to get excited about when it comes to this year's 49ers team.
Pretty Tough: Week 1, at Dallas Cowboys
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Excitement always runs high for the first week of the season, before several players are swamped with various bumps and bruises. The Giants are lucky enough to open the 2015 season against one of their biggest rivals, in one of the NFL's most popular venues—a little place called Jerry's World.
The formal name is AT&T Stadium, and it's home to the dreaded Dallas Cowboys. The Giants once owned the building, stealing wins in each of their first four visits. However, the Cowboys have since reclaimed control of their turf, topping New York in Dallas each of the past two seasons.
In fact, the Giants have not defeated the Cowboys since October 2012, which is an awful long time to go winless in a rivalry as bitter as this one.
The Cowboys won the division last year, thanks to a potent rushing attack. They no longer have running back DeMarco Murray—who claimed the league rushing title in 2014 with 1,845 yards—but Dallas still has a formidable offensive line and a pretty good QB-WR combo in Tony Romo-Dez Bryant.
You can bet some fresh-legged Giants will be gunning for Romo in Week 1.
Pretty Easy: Week 2, vs. Atlanta Falcons
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After what's sure to be a draining battle with the Cowboys, the Giants will host the Atlanta Falcons for their home opener in Week 2. Hearing the roar of the New York crowd for the first time since 2014 should re-energize Big Blue, alleviating any lingering pain from the previous week's duel in Dallas.
The Falcons unexpectedly slipped to the bottom of the league last season, posting a 6-10 record for third place in the NFC South. When they visit New York, the Giants will deal with the usual suspects—quarterback Matt Ryan and his receivers Julio Jones and Roddy White—but a different head coach will be running the show.
After a disappointing season, Atlanta fired Mike Smith and brought in Dan Quinn, who has never been a head coach at either the collegiate or the professional level. Quinn has, however, reached the pinnacle of football success, coordinating the Seattle Seahawks defense to a pair of Super Bowls the past two seasons.
Quinn has inherited a rebuilding experiment, and the Giants are lucky to challenge him in the early goings of what could be a long tenure with the Falcons.
Very Tough: Week 10, vs. New England Patriots
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There's something sentimental for New York fans—and resentful for New England fans—when the Giants and Patriots square off.
Super Bowls XLII and XLVI were a couple of the most exhilarating NFL titles of recent memory due to their fourth-quarter comebacks and unbelievable underdog stories. Both times, the Giants upended the heavily favored Patriots, creating a rare, cross-conference rivalry.
Not long ago, the debate raged over which team had the best coach in the league. New England's Bill Belichick was the football guru, and New York's Tom Coughlin was the annoying gnat he couldn't seem to swat.
That debate has died down quite a bit after the Patriots' recent Super Bowl victory and two consecutive losing seasons for the Giants. But maybe Coughlin can reignite that debate by surprising Belichick again in Week 10 en route to another Super Bowl run.
Very Easy: Week 9, at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Before the Giants can have their rematch with the Patriots, a less-hyped game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers must be played.
The Bucs may have been the worst team in the league last year, winning only two games and capturing the first overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. The only thing Tampa Bay can do to spice up this matchup is draft Florida State's Jameis Winston, who might be the best rookie prospect in this year's class.
If nothing else, this game will put wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Mike Evans on the same field for one awesome day. Evans was selected five picks before Beckham in last spring's draft. Evans will be motivated to show the Bucs that they made the right decision, but OBJ will be trying to prove the opposite.
In 2012, when these two teams last met, Eli Manning threw for a career-high 510 yards in a thrilling, come-from-behind victory. Don't expect this year's installment to be as riveting.
Toughest: Week 17, vs. Eagles
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Of all the games on New York's 2015 schedule, none looms larger than the season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles.
This will mark the third time in four years that the Giants conclude their season against the Eagles. The last two times—in 2012 and again in 2014—were meaningless, as neither team qualified for postseason contention. Could this year's Week 17 clash finally have some playoff implications?
The Eagles have certainly owned the long-running series as of late. Philadelphia swept New York last season, which included a 27-0 embarrassment at Lincoln Financial Field. Going back to December 2008, the Giants are a terrible 3-11 against their nearest division rival.
Chip Kelly's fast-paced Eagles offense may be the future of professional football, but the Giants can put those plans on hold by booting him from the playoffs and potentially sealing the NFC East title in Week 17.
Easiest: Week 12, at Washington Redskins
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The Redskins make this list twice, with New York's Week 12 visit to the nation's capital being the easiest game on the slate in 2015.
Why will this game be easier than the first matchup? Here are three reasons:
- The Giants will already be familiar with the Redskins after facing them in Week 3
- The Giants will have two weeks to prepare, thanks to a bye in Week 11
- The Redskins will have packed it in after their season implodes by Week 8
Playing the game in Washington won't be any advantage to the 'Skins. Last year, the six-win Giants ran up the score in D.C., winning 45-14.
The Giants, Eagles and Cowboys have one of the NFL's most intense three-way rivalries, but the Redskins balance out the NFC East frustration by serving up a couple of cupcakes each year.
Kevin Boilard writes about the New York Giants for Bleacher Report.
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