Giants’ 2024 Opponents Ranked By Prime Time Probability

At their team’s current pace, New York Giants fans might not have to wait all day until Sunday night.

Though the Giants made a few notable moves (i.e. trading or Brian Burns, drafting Malik Nabers), the upcoming 2024 season figures o be another part of a rebuild, especially in an NFC packed to the brim with established contenders. Big Blue, however, remains a nationally recognized brand even in defeat (lest we forget Tommy DeVito-mania), which will undoubtedly lead the NFL’s national television partners to come their way at some point(s) this season.

Wth the league’s annual attachment of dates and times to the 32 slates coming this month, which of the Giants games seem best-destined to land the national TV treatment?

1. Philadelphia Eagles

For better or worse, Saquon Barkley is … and was … the Giants’ franchise face in the new decade. The resulting stretch of agonizing-to-passable football in that span perhaps made Giants fans indifferent to his departure, but he perhaps picked the worst possible new home in Big Blue eyes in the form of the resurgent Eagles.

Coming off a disappointing conclusion to their NFC title defense (which featured a loss to the Giants in Week 18), Philadelphia immediately reloaded, as Barkley is just one of several major high-octane additions (joined by Bryce Huff, Devin White, and draft picks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean). Despite the recent one-sided nature of the series (Philadelphia had won six of eight before the Giants broke through on Broad Street), the prospect of a Barkley Bowl (plus an NFC East draw) should no doubt woo the national networks.

2. Dallas Cowboys

Death, taxes, Giants-Cowboys in a national slot, no? The unspoken tradition of opening the NFL season with a matchup between the long-running, if not geographically bizarre, rivalry resumed last year with a 40-0 Dallas shellacking that set the tone for the Giants’ dreary season. Prior to a two-season hiatus at the start of the decade, at least one half of the the yearly New York-Dallas earned the national privilege in 14 consecutive years.

So why have the Cowboys fallen to the runner-up spot? Statistics show that half of their slate will probably continue to draw national eyes even if a Giants match is eschewed but their offseason inactivity makes Philadelphia a better draw. The Giants’ lost control of the rivalry narrative also removes a little luster, as they’ve been pounded by the Pokes to the tune of a 13-1 record since 2017.

3. Washington Commanders

It’s hard convincing this current generation that matchups between the Giants and whatever Washington’s NFL franchise is opting to call itself these days. To date, the Commanders moniker is 0-3-1 against the Giants, including a blue sweep last season. That hasn’t stopped the national networks from partaking, however: a Giants-Commanders game has gotten prime time honors in two of the past three seasons.

Offseason renovations in the nation’s capital, headlined by new franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels, could make this American rivalry great again, especially if the networks opt to play up what the Giants could’ve had with a rookie quarterback. Speaking of draft activities, southern eyes will also take interest in this matchup, as Daniels’ favorite target during his Heisman season at LSU was newly-minted Giant Malik Nabers.

4. Carolina Panthers

The NFL is no longer opting to obligate at least one national television appearance to each team. But if the woebegone Panthers going to get one, the Giants’ upcoming visit to Bank of America Stadium feels like as good a bet as any: Carolina won’t have to wait long for the return of two-time Pro Bowler and recent blue trade acquisition Brian Burns, as the Giants are set to make their first visit to Charlotte since 2018. That, however, is in question, as the Panthers are set to host this year’s Germany game. The Giants are 3-0 in international games, all of them being staged in London (including the 2022 win over Green Bay).

5. Minnesota Vikings

Some major names (primarily Kirk Cousins) have moved on, but this will make the first meetings between blue and purple since the Giants conquered the Vikings in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs just over a year ago. Beyond the playoff rematch, there are enough headlines to keep this matchup interesting, such as the chance to step into a bayou-based receiving time machine (Nabers facing fellow LSU alum Justin Jefferson) and another “what could’ve been” situation at quarterback (new Minnesota franchise man J.J. McCarthy going four picks after Nabers).

6. Cincinnati Bengals

It’s perhaps a shame that Jim Hawthorne won’t be available to call this rare interconfernce showdown, as another LSU homecoming weekend awaits. This one will feature Nabers squaring off against Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, each of whom will see blue for the first time in their respective careers.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

There isn’t much heat to speak of between the Giants and Steelers, especially in modern times thanks to their interconference nature: Pittsburgh is hosting New York for the first time since 2016.

But the two sides are consistent draws for the NFL’s television partners, which could inspire them to take a chance on this rare meeting to capitalize on the lasting friendship between the Maras and Rooneys. A Giants-Steelers game opened 2020’s Monday night slate and each of the last five get-togethers have been decided by 10 points or less.

8. Seattle Seahawks

The idea of facing off against facetious Giants legend Geno Smith is hardly enough to sustain the national allure of a third straight meeting between New York and Seattle, though the game’s Pacific Northwest setting ensures that it will at least sit in a late Sunday window.

9. Baltimore Ravens

Feeling nostalgic as Super Bowl XXXV reaches its 25th anniversary? Giants fans probably aren’t but that’s still far from enough to draw mainstream allure to this rare meeting. Had Odell Beckham Jr. had any intentions of staying in Charm City, that’s a whole other story. But at this point, it’s a story of two teams embarking on drastically different directions.

10. Atlanta Falcons

Quarterback drama allows the Falcons to crack the top 10: Atlanta made the controversial decision to draft Michael Penix two choices after the Giants brought Nabers in. Penix won’t be starting against the Giants barring medical disaster but the Giants have their fair share of history against new franchise man Kirk Cousins, though that’s hardly enough to warrant a national slot.

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

As Tampa Bay faces the Giants for the first time since 2021, a certain someone is missing from their proceedings … Aaron Stinnie, of course, as the lineman now lingers on the Giants’ roster. The Buccaneers are going for their fourth straight division title, and the Giants figure to be a winnable game upon that trek.

12. Cleveland Browns

The Browns should be back with a vengeance as they seek to create their first instance of consecutive playoff berths since the first Bush administration. Don’t expect the Giants to play a prominent part in the national resurgence tour considering their rivalry fizzled out upon introduction of the Super Bowl and that none of the recent matchups have been close (six consecutive meetings decided by at least two possessions).

13. New Orleans Saints

Barring the highly unlikely revival tours of Eli Manning and/or Drew Brees, there’s not much to get excited about in this battle of NFC also-rans who don’t carry much history or animosity with each other beyond the Superdome shootout of 2015.

14. Indianapolis Colts

An Isaiah McKenzie revenge game isn’t enough to add allure to this interconference matchup. The Giants and Colts did battle in “The Greatest Game Ever Played” back in 1958, but don’t expect a sequel even if young Indianapolis passing sensation Anthony Richardson makes his return. The fact that this game was set up by matching third-place finishes in each side’s respective division probably says it all.