Three Biggest Games: New York Giants

2015 will be the fourth straight year without a football championship in the Big Apple. And you know what that means. Tom Coughlin is on the hot seat, Eli Manning turns into an unstoppable scoring machine and a Giants Super Bowl victory is all but assured. Of course, there are at least three regular season opponents who may have something to say about that last part.

Week 1 at Dallas Cowboys

Life is guaranteed to feature three things: death, taxes and NFC East primetime games. It seems America can’t get enough of the mutual hatred present in the NFL’s least amicable division, and the 2015 schedule makers have obliged their public with a mouth-watering week 1 clash. The first Sunday Night Football game of the season will feature Manning and Romo in a heated offensive duel. Dez Bryant and a dream offensive line will lead the way for Dallas, while Odell Beckham Jr. will be keen to show how far he’s progressed this offseason. And don’t be surprised to see a couple of splash plays from special teams speedster Dwayne Harris against his former team.

Week 5 vs. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers are this season’s most volatile team. With a ton of fresh faces both on defense and within the coaching ranks, the team could finish 11-5 or 5-11 and no one would be particularly surprised either way. Kaepernick’s read-option offense – while slowly being deciphered by the rest of the NFL – has given Big Blue defenders nightmares in the past. But assuming the Giants’ D will adopt a containment defense to limit Kaep’s game-changing ground game, expect the young QB to take to the air in a game that will be won and lost in the secondary.

Week 10 vs. New England Patriots

The rest of the NFL has a lot to thank the Giants for. Without them, NFL fans would know an existence in which the Patriots and Steelers are tied for the most Lombardi trophies. And that’s a world very, very few want to live in. With Tom Brady well and truly back, and expected to be kicking into mid-season form by week 10, it’s a wonder this game was shafted into a late afternoon slot on Sunday. Regardless, it will be the Giants’ running game that decides this one. Former Patriot Shane Vereen should emerge as the starting back amongst a unit that isn’t exactly thrilling. He’ll need to rack up triple figures to keep Brady and his always-vaunted offense on the sidelines.