The 2023 regular season schedule is officially out and the New York Giants got the raw end of the deal.
By every metric and measure, the Giants were handed the league’s most difficult schedule — especially early on. They will play three games in 11 days to start, four prime time games over their first six, and seven of their first 11 games will come on the road.
That’s a tough challenge for anyone, but don’t expect head coach Brian Daboll to complain about it. He’ll have his guys focused and ready to go from the jump.
But how will the Giants do facing such an unrelenting schedule? Let’s try to predict it.
Here are the way-too-early game-by-game predictions from those of us at Giants Wire.
Week 1: vs. Dallas Cowboys
The Giants will open the season riding high after an impressive 2022 campaign and MetLife Stadium should be rocking. Dak Prescott has turned into a bit of a turnover machine and the Giants are now stronger in what were their weakest areas. Upset to open the year.
Game prediction: Win
Week 2: at Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals are a rebuilding franchise and could very well be without quarterback Kyler Murray. Even if he somehow manages to take the field, the Giants are more balanced, have more continuity and are just a better all-around team.
Game prediction: Win
Week 3: at San Francisco 49ers
This is a somewhat tricky game to predict because it’s unclear who will start at quarterback for the 49ers early in the season. However, San Francisco does sport one of the league’s best defenses and that will serve as a counter-balance to their QB uncertainty. The Giants likely keep this closer than people expect but they’re not quite at that top-tier level just yet.
Game prediction: Loss
Week 4: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Back at home on Monday night, the Giants will look to exact some revenge on Geno Smith and the Seahawks, who beat them in MetLife Stadium a year ago. It won’t come easy but New York is trending upwards and perhaps home-field advantage is what puts them over the top in this game.
Game prediction: Win
Week 5: at Miami Dolphins
Mike McDaniel is as savvy as they come and the Dolphins will be well-prepared in this one. But will Tua Tagovailoa be on the field? Whether he is or not, the Giants have improved their overall team speed and should be able to compete in a game they wouldn’t have been able to in 2022. They again surprise early on and pick up an upset in South Beach.
Game prediction: Win
Week 6: at Buffalo Bills
General manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll go head-to-head with their former team in prime time. The motivation will certainly be there and the players will want to pick up a dub for their GM-coach duo, but the talent gap remains. Schoen and Daboll will eventually have their day but it won’t be during this one.
Game prediction: Loss
Week 7: vs. Washington Commanders
The Giants seem to have the Commanders’ number in recent years but the games are rarely blowouts or lopsided. Washington always puts up a tough fight against the Giants and keeps things close until the end. They’re due for an upset of their own and they sour the Giants’ strong start here.
Game prediction: Loss
Week 8: vs. New York Jets
The Jets are going all-in to win over the next few years and their talent level is, unfortunately, superior to the Giants. Although Big Blue proved they could take down Aaron Rodgers a season ago, that was due to an underwhelming supporting cast. Little brother gets a rare moment in the sun.
Game prediction: Loss
Week 9: at Las Vegas Raiders
Darren Waller returns home to face his former teammates, while the Giants go up against their former defensive coordinator, Patrick Graham. Jimmy G will play mistake-free football like he usually does, but it’s not going to be enough to stop the Giants this time around.
Game prediction: Win
Week 10: at Dallas Cowboys
The Giants upset the Cowboys to open the season but now they’re in Jurrah World and things rarely bounce their way down in Arlington. We’re going to go out on a limb here and say the referees make several atrocious calls that cost the Giants and the league later sends an apology letter to John Mara but the damage is already done.
Game prediction: Loss
Week 11: at Washington Commanders
Daniel Jones loves to play at FedEx Field and the Giants should really be hitting their stride at this point in the season. They exact revenge for an earlier loss thanks again to another big game from DJ and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Game prediction: Win
Week 12: vs. New England Patriots
The Giants have long had the Patriots’ number and that was before the team lost its dynasty status. Bill Belichick doesn’t have a hold over Big Blue like he does so many other teams and while Joe Judge will want some revenge, he’s not going to get it.
Game prediction: Win
Week 13: BYE
Week 14: vs. Green Bay Packers
The Giants enter the final stretch rested and at home. The Packers are probably playing better than many expect at this point but Jordan Love will still be experiencing some growing pains. Their roster is lacking a bit and the Giants seem to match up well here.
Game prediction: Win
Week 15: at New Orleans Saints
The Giants are likely fighting for a playoff spot at this point and can’t afford to overlook the Saints, who are likely improved from a season ago. New Orleans can be a difficult and loud place to play, but the Giants rise to the occasion in what, at the time, is viewed as a must-win.
Game prediction: Win
Week 16: at Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are likely to be the NFL’s best team at this point, steamrolling competition and looking to wrap up the NFC East on Christmas Day. And while spoiling it for them would bring Giants fans much joy, the gap between the two franchises remains — although it’s thinning.
Game prediction: Loss
Week 17: vs. Los Angeles Rams
The Giants ring in the New Year with a big win at home against the Rams here. They’re not quite the powerhouse they once were and their players may be looking ahead to the offseason at this point.
Game prediction: Win
Week 18: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
It all comes down to this for the Giants. At this point in the season, they are already one game better than they were during the 2022 season and if they can overcome their demons and beat the Eagles, who may be resting their starters at this point, they punch their return ticket to the playoffs.
Game prediction: Win
Final record: 11-6
This may seem overly optimistic and admittedly, we didn’t think we’d predict the Giants finishing with 11 wins when this exercise began. But it’s a 1.5-game improvement over a season ago and that should be the bar for Big Blue in Year 2 under Schoen and Daboll.
Even if the Giants were to lose one of the games we have predicted as an upset, a 10-win season should be enough to get them back to the playoffs. And while we don’t have any Super Bowl aspirations (just yet), we do expect the Giants to keep inching themselves forward.
Navigating that early stretch is going to be exceptionally difficult, but Daboll will make sure he turns that brutal schedule into fuel for his players.
