The Giants.com crew reacts to the official release of the 2025 NFL schedule.

John Schmeelk: The schedule is out and my eyes immediately went to their division games. It surprised me that the schedule makers have the Giants playing four of their six division games in the first eight weeks of the season. For half of the team's first-half schedule to be division games is odd considering how the NFL has tried to play as many division games late in the season as possible.

The fact the Giants play two of their road division games in the first two weeks of the season is even more unique. The last time the Giants opened their season with two divisional opponents was 2009, when they hosted Washington in Week 1 and visited Dallas in Week 2.

It's essential the Giants do better in their NFC East games, and they will have a chance to prove that the first two weeks of the year in what will be essential games. It will be especially important for Russell Wilson to hit the ground running and play well early in the season in hostile environments. The Commanders are coming off an NFC title game appearance while Dak Prescott has been a player the Giants have not been able to beat since he entered the league.

Then the Giants have to play the Super Bowl and NFC East champion Eagles in Weeks 6 and 8. The first game will be at MetLife Stadium, but it is a Thursday game that will have the Giants on short rest following a trip to New Orleans the previous Sunday. If the Giants don't figure out a way to win at least one of those games, preferably two, it will be difficult to compete in the NFC East with the second games against Dallas and Washington not coming until December 14 and the first weekend of 2026.

We knew simply based on the opponents it would be a tough schedule for the Giants. The real thing, now that is in our hands, has not defied expectations, especially in the NFC East.

Dan Salomone: The Giants play 10 games against teams who made the postseason in 2024 – Eagles twice, Commanders twice, Packers, Vikings, Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos, and Lions – which is tied for third-most in the league. The Eagles and Lions have the most with 11 apiece.

The Giants' 2025 opponents went 166-123 in 2024, good for a .574 winning percentage, the highest in the NFL. Looking at their NFC East foes, the Eagles have the fourth-toughest schedule in terms of winning percentage (.561); the Cowboys are tied for fifth (.557); and the Commanders are eighth (.550). The San Francisco 49ers, meanwhile, have the "easiest" road in the NFL at .415.

But no two seasons are ever the same, a sentiment that defines the NFL more than any other sports league.

According to NFL Research, four of the past five teams with the "easiest" strength of schedule missed the postseason (2024 Saints and Falcons were tied, 2023 Falcons, 2022 Commanders). Conversely, two of the past four teams with the "hardest" schedule made the postseason (2023 Eagles, 2021 Steelers).

Furthermore, the NFL boasts a streak of 35 consecutive seasons with at least four teams qualifying for the playoffs after missing out the year before. And at least one team has won its division the season after missing the playoffs in 53 of 55 seasons since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. The outliers were 2024 and 1976, the only years in which the division winners were all in playoffs the prior season.

That is a long way of explaining that one year matters very little to the next because rosters never stay the same.

"I'm excited to see how this team comes together," Joe Schoen said after his fourth draft as general manager. "I like the players that we have. I like the makeup of the players. I'm confident in the coaching staff, and I'm excited for the 2025 season."

Matt Citak: Two things stand out in particular about the Giants' schedule. For starters, they will face a tough test right out of the gate, especially on the defensive side of the ball. In Week 1, the Giants travel to Washington to take on reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, who is now armed with an improved offensive line and Deebo Samuel as his No. 2 receiver. Things don't get much easier the following week as they stay on the road and head to Dallas to face off against Dak Prescott, who also received a boost in the passing game with the arrival of wide receiver George Pickens. Having two divisional matchups to open the season will be a good test to see just how much the Giants really closed the gap. While they head back home for the next two games, outings against the Chiefs and Chargers should present their own difficulties. Both of those AFC West squads are strong on both sides of the ball while bringing a physical style of football. The Giants put a lot of assets towards their defense this offseason between the additions of Abdul Carter, Paulson Adebo, Jevón Holland, Darius Alexander and numerous other players. Shane Bowen and his unit will get tested right away with matchups against four of the league's better offensive units.

The other thing that I noticed, which to be honest I should have realized earlier since we already knew who the opponents would be, is that the Giants will take on five of the six quarterbacks taken in the first round of last year's draft. Daniels (Week 1 and Week 15), Bo Nix (Week 7), Caleb Williams (Week 10), Drake Maye (Week 13) and J.J. McCarthy (Week 16) are all on the schedule this season, with Atlanta's Michael Penix being the only one the Giants will not face (in the regular season at least). Daniels, Nix, Williams, and Maye all flashed their potential at times last season, while McCarthy was the lone one that did not see the field due to injury. When looking at the offseason moves made by just about all of these teams, it should not come as a surprise that each of them put an emphasis on building a strong offensive foundation around their young quarterbacks, whether that be through improved protection upfront or more weapons. With an improved defensive unit, hopefully the Giants will be able to give all five of these quarterbacks some trouble during their respective matchups.