It’s now July. The New York Giants have, for the most part, finished off their offseason and are now just weeks away from commencing training camp.
The 17-game slate, which will see the Giants return to the international stage for the first time since 2022, is just over two months away. Brian Daboll’s squad finished 2023 6-11, a season that ended with an odd drama between now-former DC Wink Martindale and the Front Office amidst several devastating injuries. The offseason, while featuring some major gains including rookie WR Malik Nabers, other losses occurred, including both Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney.
Out of the 17 contests that await the New York Giants in 2024, three particular contests are ones they’ll really want to win to rebound to their 2022 form and return to the postseason.
Giants Must Win #1: Week 1 Versus Minnesota Vikings
Ncaa Fiesta Bowl Game
A new era will dawn on September 8 in East Rutherford, and it isn’t on the side of the home team. The New York Giants begin their 2024 campaign at home against the Minnesota Vikings. The current question is who will lead the opposing Vikings into MetLife Stadium: is it going to be Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy?
If you are an NFL coach, your goal is always to win Week 1, without much doubt, but this Week 1 contest would take on a new level of importance if McCarthy does indeed take hold of the starting job. Despite heavy speculation, the Giants did not draft McCarthy with the sixth selection this year. To lose this contest against the Vikings would re-ignite the present discourse surrounding incumbent QB Daniel Jones, and the potential drums will begin to sound for the end of Daboll and GM Joe Schoen’s jobs if this contest marks the beginning of another lost campaign.
Must Win Game #2: Vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Week 7
Saquon Barkley will have his New York homecoming in this late October game. After his 3-year deal was inked in March and the schedules unveiled in May, many fans on both sides have had this game marked in red, and with good reason.
The Eagles overhauled this offseason, the high point being their well-regarded draft class, and are likely to return to Super Bowl contention after their late-season tumble in 2023. For the home team of this matchup, their new and improved defense, headed by Brian Burns, must get to Saquon early and often if the Giants are to come away with the win in the first of two contests between the sides in 2024. This game will be a defining moment of the 2024 Giants season no matter how you slice it.
Must Win Contest #3: “At” Carolina Panthers, Week 10
The New York Giants’ international return will come in November when they travel 4000 miles (that’s nearly 6500 kilometers when taking the Metric System into account) to face the Carolina Panthers. And for multiple reasons, this is a game that the Giants shouldn’t and absolutely can’t lose.
The Panthers closed 2023 2-15 amidst Bryce Young having, arguably, one of the worst rookie seasons of all time. The Panthers only managed to score 14 points per game while giving up almost twice as many, then watched their defensive centerpiece turncoat to Big Blue. New Head Coach Dave Canales will hope he doesn’t fall the way of Frank Reich after the latter was let go only 11 games into his tenure.
This is one of those “give me” games that the Giants should easily be able to walk away with to head into their Week 11 bye with momentum on their side as they look to position themselves for any playoff push.
