Can you smell that? It's the scent of the tide finally turning for a New York Giants squad many have been so quick to doubt.
Don't look now, but the Giants are in the driver's seat to win the NFC East, a feat they haven't accomplished since 2011. Head coach John Harbaugh has done a magnificent job in his first season with the club, virtually changing the culture overnight. The locker room has completely bought into him, and the result is a 4-2-1 record heading into their bye.
However, if Harbaugh and Co. are going to capture their first division title in over a decade, they must keep their foot on the gas. The sledding will only get tougher moving forward, if the NFC standings ordered by remaining strength of schedule (SOS) are any indication, per Tankathon.
NFC standings by remaining strength of schedule through Week 7
Team | Record | Remaining opponent winning percentage |
|---|---|---|
1. Minnesota Vikings | 6-0 | .576 |
2. Chicago Bears | 5-2 | .562 |
3. Detroit Lions | 4-2 | .561 |
4. Carolina Panthers | 3-3 | .547 |
5. Atlanta Falcons | 3-4 | .539 |
6. Green Bay Packers | 4-3 | .538 |
7. Philadelphia Eagles | 2-5 | .500 |
8. New York Giants | 4-2-1 | .500 |
9. Seattle Seahawks | 4-3 | .500 |
10. New Orleans Saints | 2-5 | .493 |
11. San Francisco 49ers | 6-1 | .485 |
12. Los Angeles Rams | 3-4 | .470 |
13. Washington Commanders | 1-4-1 | .466 |
14. Arizona Cardinals | 2-5 | .463 |
15. Dallas Cowboys | 3-4 | .441 |
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2-5 | .433 |
New York is coming off arguably its most impressive, well-rounded outing of 2026, pulling off an exciting 27-21 overtime road upset of the Houston Texans. In terms of efficiency and production, they had their best rushing day yet, and the offense was the most explosive we've seen so far. On the other side of the ball, the defense slowed down one of the NFL's more potent passing attacks.
Alas, not everyone is sold on what's happening in East Rutherford; why, though? Upcoming matchups with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions certainly play a part. All four teams are legitimate Super Bowl LXI contenders with the personnel to exploit the Giants' weaknesses and present their own challenges.
Not to mention, many are still leaving a candle lit for the Dallas Cowboys to right the ship. Their favorable stretch to close out the campaign puts additional pressure on the G-Men to keep the momentum going.
Cowboys' soft path creates greater sense of urgency for John Harbaugh, Giants
Like New York, the Cowboys will also face the Jaguars, 49ers and Seahawks. Both NFC East rivals will also clash with the Indianapolis Colts and have another showdown with both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders, respectively. It's the non-common opponents that give Dallas a real fighting chance.
Sitting at 3-4, Dallas has games against the Tennessee Titans, Washington Commanders, Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles on tap. All those franchises are either moving toward a teardown or currently undergoing a multi-year rebuild. A Cowboys group with high-end firepower should pick up at least four victories over this crop of bottom-feeders.
It's good that New York has built a cushion atop the standings. They have some margin for error if the rival Cowboys do ultimately take advantage of a handful of softer opponents.
Nevertheless, the Harbaugh-led Giants have grown accustomed to being overlooked and have even embraced the underdog role. While it's not always pretty, they've tuned out the outside noise and handled their business. Overlook them at your own peril.
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