With the 2022 NFL schedule being made official, we all learned when the NY Giants will be facing each opponent. The Giants will kick things off against the Tennessee Titans in Week 1 and fans can’t wait for things to arrive.
This is Brian Daboll’s first year as head coach for the Giants, meaning he will have to make a strong impression to not only the fans, but the front office as well. If Daboll wishes to make this strong impression, he must showcase his ability in a big way. A good way he can do this is by winning key games on the schedule that could show the Giants potential ability as contenders. In this piece, we take a look at five must-win games for Daboll and the G-Men.
Mark your calendars!!!
— New York Giants (@Giants) May 13, 2022
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1. Week 1 at the Tennessee Titans
This is a “must win” game for the simple fact that it is the first contest of the season and there’s going to be plenty of eyes on Daboll and Co. The best way to start any season off, whether it be a rebuilding one, or one with the idea of contention, is with a victory, period.
While the Tennessee Titans are certainly not an easy team to beat, as they have they have arguably best running back in the league in Derrick Henry, plus a very solid defense. We believe there is a chance that the NY Giants can pull off the upset and start the season off 1-0.
If Daboll can manage to pull off an upset like this in Week 1, not only will it give the Giants a ton of momentum heading into Week 2, but it will also show that the Giants could potentially be a serious team this campaign. Daboll has the potential to make a very strong first impression among the fans and the front office in Nashville.
2. Week 2 vs. the Carolina Panthers
While on paper this game may not seem that important, it is for the sake of the continued momentum for the Giants early on in the season. It is also the first home game of the year for the team. Last fall, the Giants were 2-6 in their home games, which is not good no matter how you look at it.
In fact, the last win the Giants had at home was against the Eagles in Week 12. If Daboll and the Giants want to impress this fanbase early on, they should look to at least win their home opener. Don’t get us wrong, Week 1 is still a very important game for the Giants. However, fans would much rather see them win their home opener against a much weaker team.
The Panthers, similar to the Giants, are a rebuilding team. However, this does not mean that they are not a threat. Even though the Giants beat the Panthers handedly in Week 7 last year 25-3, this Panthers team is not the same as it was at the time last season.
For starters, they have a new, potentially stud offensive lineman in Ikem Ekwonu, and star running back Christian McCaffrey will be back from an injury that caused him to miss most of 2021. If the Giants can start off either 1-1, or 2-0 to start the year, that would be considered a victory for Daboll.
3. Week 5 vs. the Green Bay Packers in London
In the NY Giants first international game since 2016, they face off against the Green Bay Packers. While they may be a tough team to play against, the Giants have been known to pull off a tricky upset every now and then. If Daboll wants to lead this team to a hot start to the season, he will have to look to down the Packers in London. The last time New York played overseas, they faced off against the Rams and won 17-10.
While obviously this Giants team is nowhere near the same level as the one in 2016, there is still a chance that the Giants can pull off the upset and potentially make some new fans over in London at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Despite how well the Packers performed last season, they will be without star receiver Davante Adams, potentially making their offense easier to stop. While it will still be very difficult to contain Aaron Rodgers, we still believe the Giants could leave the UK with a victory.
4. Week 12 at the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving
It’s always an important game when you play a division rival, let alone when you play them on Thanksgiving. The showdown with the Cowboys will be no easy game, however, as the Giants are 1-9 in their last 10 contests against Dallas. For the Giants, their last win against the Cowboys came in 2020. They won that one 23-19. It was the matchup where Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott went down with a gruesome leg injury.
Not only will this game be a good test on if the Giants could possibly be contenders, but it will also be a fun tilt regardless, especially with the potential this Giants offense has under Daboll. The last time the Giants played on Thanksgiving was in 2017 and they lost 20-10 to the Washington Commanders. If the Giants want to win this battle, they must have a tremendous offensive game, as this Cowboys offense is going to be very difficult to stop.
Regardless of whether the Giants win or lose this game, it is going to be entertaining from start to finish. If Daboll can come out and upset this great Cowboys team on Thanksgiving, it could set the tone for the rest of the year. The fanbase will show him plenty of love as well.
5. Week 18 at the Philadelphia Eagles:
In the last game of the season, the Giants face off against the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s fitting that they finish their season off playing a division rival. While it is unknown how well the Giants will perform this upcoming campaign, this game could be very important for either their playoff odds, or potentially knocking another division rival out of contention.
In the 2021 season, the Giants split their series with the Eagles. However, both teams have gotten much better since they last played each other. If the Giants are not in playoff contention, the Eagles may be, making for a potentially important matchup that could decide the fate of either team’s year.
As we all know, back in the 2020 season the Giants were one game out of the playoffs. With their season resting on a Week 17 matchup between the Eagles and Commanders, Philadelphia was playing well against the Commanders when they, for seemingly no reason, benched Jalen Hurts for Nate Sudfeld. This ended up costing them the game, and the Giants season.
If New York ends up in the predicament where they could potentially end the Eagles’ season, it would be a nice way to pay them back for what happened in 2020. While this would not be an easy task, it is definitely possible and would be a great way to end what could potentially be a great first campaign under Daboll. Whether the Giants are successful or not next season, fans are very excited about the potential this team has. There’s strong belief in Daboll. We’ll see if he delivers.