Week 15 rooting guide for New York Giants fans: Scenarios for the first overall pick

The New York Giants are on a collision course with history. Not the good kind of historic season, but historic nonetheless.

The Giants could finish the year winless at home and with a 2-15 record, and in position for the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft

The world could have looked very different for the Giants if they had secured the second or third overall pick in the 2024 Draft.

Instead of being left without a long-term answer at quarterback, the Giants would have almost certainly have drafted Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye. They might still be sitting at the top of the 2025 Draft, but they wouldn’t have a quarterback question looming over them and would be completely free to draft the best player available at a position of need.

Having the first overall pick — and selecting a quarterback with that pick — is no guarantee that the player will pan out. However, having all the players to pick from means that there’s no chance that another team take the player you have your eye on.

The value is in the opportunity to select a certain player.

If the season ended today, the Giants would hold the second overall pick thanks to their high strength of schedule. However, they have the best chance in the NFL to secure the first overall pick.

The Athletic currently gives the Giants a 41% chance to finish with the first pick in the draft, while the Pro Football Network gives the Giants a 38.9% chance to be on the clock as soon as the season ends.

However, as PFN explains, no team currently “controls their destiny” with regards to the first pick in the draft. That’s because there are far too many pieces involved in tiebreakers over which teams have no control. The only thing the Giants — or the Raiders, for that matter — can do is lose. In addition to the pair of two-win teams, there are currently six more teams with three wins, and a lone win by the Giants could potentially drop them from a Top-2 pick all the way down to 8th overall.

But the Giants’ draft position isn’t just depending on their own losses while hoping the Raiders win, they’re also depending on all the teams they’ve faced this year to lose as well.

With that in mind, Pro Football Network has provided a handy rooting guide for Giants fans with an eye toward securing the first pick in the draft.

Thursday Night Football – 49ers vs. Rams

Rooting for: Rams

This one already happened, and it broke the Giants’ way. The Rams eked out a 12-6 win in a game that also saw 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell refuse to play in the second half.

Panthers vs. Cowboys

Rooting for: Panthers

The Panthers are one of the six three-win teams, so a win would reduce the pressure on the Giants.

Cleveland Browns vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Rooting for: Chiefs

A loss here helps weaken the Giants’ strength of schedule, just in case they wind up tied with another team in wins and losses.

Houston Texans vs. Miami Dolphins

Rooting for: Dolphins

The Raiders have played, and lost to, the Dolphins. So a win here by Miami would would increase Las Vegas’ strength of schedule

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New York Jets

Rooting for: Jaguars

The Raiders and Jags play next week. A win for the Jaguars increases the Raiders SOS, as well as removing one of the teams from the pile of 3-win teams tied for just behind the Giants and Raiders.

New Orleans Saints vs. Washington Commanders

Rooting for: Saints

The Giants have played — and lost to — both teams, so a win by either will boost the Giants strength of schedule. However the Saints will play the Raiders later this season in Week 17, making it a wash.

New York Giants vs. Baltimore Ravens

Rooting for: Ravens

Okay, Giants fans might not be rooting for their own team to lose, but this one’s obvious. A losing out is necessary to help ensure the Giants aren’t at the mercy of another team on draft night. Baltimore is also a common opponent, so a win is a wash as far as strength of schedule is concerned.

Tennessee Titans vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Rooting for: Bengals

Cincinnati is another common opponent between the Giants and Raiders, while neither team has the Titans on their schedule. A win by the Bengals is a wash, however a win by the Titans would ultimately increase the Giants’ strength of schedule due to their (Titans’) own opponents.

Denver Broncos vs. Indianapolis Colts

Rooting for: Broncos

The Giants will play the Colts in two weeks. Meanwhile the Raiders have played the Broncos twice already but don’t face the Colts. A win by Denver would be a boost to the Raiders’ SOS, while a loss by the Colts would reduce the Giants’

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rooting for: Chargers

As with the Broncos and Colts, the Giants have played (and lost to) the Buccaneers, so a loss by them will help weaken New York’s strength of schedule. The Raiders, meanwhile, started, and will finish, their season against the Chargers, so a win will increase their strength of schedule.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Rooting for: Steelers

Not only does this prevent Giants fans from having to root for Philly, but the Steelers are a common opponent while the Raiders don’t play the Eagles.

Sunday Night Football: Seattle Seahawks vs. Green Bay Packers

Rooting for: Packers

The Raiders don’t have either team on their schedule, while the Seahawks were the Giants’ other win (so far) this season.

Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears

Rooting for: Bears

Giants fans remember the season-opening loss to the Vikings well. The Raiders don’t have either team on their schedule, so a win by the Bears would help the Giant without having a direct impact on the Raiders.

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Atlanta Falcons

Rooting for: Raiders

Obviously the Giants want the Raiders to win. A win by the Raiders (and a loss by the Giants) would give New York sole possession of the first overall pick, at least for this week. It also has the added bonus of reducing the Giants’ strength of schedule as Atlanta is a common opponent.

Final thoughts

This rooting guide just covers Week 15. And obviously some of these wins are far more likely than others. It’s unlikely that the Bears will figure out some way to beat the Vikings, but it’s also pretty likely that the Broncos will beat the Colts. The game to watch for the Giants (assuming the Giants’ own game against the Ravens goes the way we all think it will) is between the Raiders and Falcons on Monday Night Football. Atlanta has played poorly over the last four weeks and Kirk Cousins has thrown eight interceptions to no touchdowns. The Raiders, as bad as they are, have a real chance to win.

Of course, losses by both the Giants and Raiders would keep the status quo intact and us trying to track all the various moving pieces across the NFL.