The New York Giants finally got a look at how their 2026 schedule pans out. The offseason has been filled with excitement for this organization, led by the hiring of John Harbaugh. Despite that and the flurry of moves, the feeling of New York taking a big step forward isn't felt by everyone.
Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News released his breakdown on the schedule and has the Giants going 5-12 and finishing last in the NFC East. If that transpires, fans will be extremely frustrated, and his prediction will certainly send them into an uproar.
Pat Leonard's Giants breakdown will fans upset
In his prediction, Leonard has the Giants beating the Titans, Cardinals, Commanders, Browns, and Eagles. Still, that matchup against Philadelphia would come in Week 18, in which the Eagles could very well rest their starters if they have a playoff spot locked up.
And when you take a deeper look at the wins predicted, four of those victories came against teams that didn't make the playoffs last season and are seemingly in the bottom half of teams in the NFL.
For a team that felt that they were held back by coaching, swapping Brian Daboll for Harbaugh is a clear upgrade.
Yet there are some questions surfacing around the team. Malik Nabers is coming back from a torn ACL, so who will be the WR1 until then and be a solid WR2 when Nabers is back in the lineup? Jaxson Dart showed some real flashes as a rookie, but can he take that leap in his sophomore season to become a true franchise quarterback?
Will the defense improve its play from 2025 under a new defensive staff? There's a world where that happens, and the Giants secure wins that Leonard didn't think would happen. The Giants have been one of the offseason favorites, according to some people, like Peter Schrager of ESPN, who thinks they are an 11 to 12-win team.
There's a huge discrepancy in what people think the Giants will be able to do in 2026. FanDuel Sportsbook currently has New York's over/under win total listed at 7.5. That seems like a logical and realistic number for this team. If all things go correctly, they can fight for a playoff spot, but if things unfold the way Leonard predicts, there will be a ton of upset Giant fans who think this season would be a failure.
We are months away from the season starting, so there's no reason to dive deep into these projections, but it's no secret that Giant fans will be upset when they see what Leonard has them going in 2026.
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