Amid their latest rebuild, John Harbaugh and the New York Giants suddenly find themselves in a winnable NFC East. Having a veteran staff, a franchise quarterback, and a defense now free from a malcontent former All-Pro goes a long way in generating optimism.
If you’ve spent even a season watching the NFL, then you know that a worst-to-first season is entirely possible. It’s happened 12 times since 2015, including the Bears and Patriots last year.
CBS Sports’ John Breech gave the Giants the third-best odds of a worst-to-first turnaround, trailing only the Saints and Lions. Breech noted the roster moves but also took note of a “friendly” first-half schedule and the possibility of making a “huge statement” by beating the Cowboys in Week 1.
“Of course, even if the offense is bad, the Giants could still contend, and that’s because they have a scary defensive front,” Breech wrote. “This is a team that could win games 13-10 if that’s what they’re forced to do.”
The Giants’ lone worst-to-first season came in 1997, when they went 10-5-1 before losing in the Wild Card Round.
How the New York Giants can win the 2026 NFC East
Enough has been said about the Giants’ offseason moves, and we know what Dart, Cam Skattebo, and the offense bring to the table. But what about the rest of the NFC East?
Assuming that both teams stay healthy, the Eagles and Cowboys still have rosters strong enough to win the NFC East or even make a deep playoff run. However, the Eagles are beset by leadership issues and growing questions about Jalen Hurts’ long-term fit.
As for the Cowboys, they’re always positioned to do something incredibly stupid. That’s been Jerry Jones’ calling card for over 30 years, and it’s often worked to the Giants’ advantage.
Then there’s Washington. Jayden Daniels must prove that he can stay healthy, and I just personally have this bad feeling about the overall Commanders team. I’d give them a better chance than the Giants of finishing last in the NFC East.
As simple as it sounds, the most important thing the Giants can do over the next two months is to focus on the task at hand. Having a veteran-heavy team should help prevent any of what Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin called “rat poison," or the dangers of letting external praise make you overconfident.”
Although Harbaugh has never had a worst-to-first season, he inherited a Ravens team that had just gone 5-11 and finished last in the AFC North. With Harbaugh and Ozzie Newsome running the show, the 2008 Ravens rode rookie quarterback Joe Flacco and an elite defense to the AFC Championship Game.
“If anyone can pull off a quick turnaround, it's Harbaugh,” Breech wrote.
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