The Giants were dealt one of the unluckiest hands for the 2025 season by having one of the most difficult schedules in the entire NFL, which doesn't bode well for a team hoping to make a turnaround sooner rather than later. Although they're in the midst of a long-term rebuild, the moves they've made to the roster prove they want to be competitive this fall; however, their schedule might hinder much progress.
One aspect they can look forward to is any potential leg up they can gain over their closest rivals, particularly in the division, in their two matchups this fall. Fortunately, a misstep by the Cowboys already appears to be a bonus for the Giants' defense, as Dallas continues to make questionable decisions with their roster.
The once-intimidating running back room, led by Ezekiel Elliott and then Tony Pollard, has become one of the weakest parts of the Cowboys' offense. That looks like it will continue in 2025, as they still don't have a dominant duo ready to carry on the offense, which the Giants will benefit from tremendously.
Cowboys' decision not to prioritize their backfield is a gift to the Giants' defense
Instead of ensuring they had the best weapons possible in their running back room, the Cowboys felt a duo of Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams was sufficient enough for their 2025 offense.
Sanders hasn't been a real threat with any team since his lone Pro Bowl year in 2022 with the Eagles, which saw him record 259 carries for 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns. In the two seasons since with the Panthers, he was unable to eclipse even half that, peaking with 432 yards in 2023 despite playing in 16 games.
Williams, on the other hand, has been more consistent over the years, recording 139 carries for 513 yards and four touchdowns for the Broncos last season. He has never reached 1,000 rushing yards in a season; however, he came close during his rookie season, so he's not much more of an explosive option for Dak Prescott to work with, either.
The duo might work well together, splitting reps on game day, but neither compares to the kind of production the Cowboys got out of Elliott or Pollard. That means it should be a field day for the Giants' defensive line in their two matchups, giving them the chance to take away the comfort of relying on the backfield for most of the game.
New York's defensive line is already considered among the best in the NFL, so handing them a gift of an underwhelming running back room is something they would welcome any day of the week.
It might be a minor benefit in the big scheme of things, and it doesn't necessarily mean that the Giants will leave with wins over their biggest divisional foe. But it could help keep the game close, at the very least, by forcing Prescott to throw far more than any offensive coordinator would desire.