Giants' Sleeper Playoff Push Is Gaining National Buzz

The New York Giants’ dark horse playoff candidacy is starting to become more mainstream.

A week after a CBS Sports reporter boldly predicted Big Blue to reach the Super Bowl, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated tabbed the Giants as “a team that can” make the playoffs in John Harbaugh’s first season.

Harbaugh made the playoffs the first five seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, capped by their win over his brother Jim Harbaugh in Super Bowl XLVII. The Giants themselves have started hinting at the playoffs as the goal this year as well.

SI Writer: The Giants’ Run to the Playoffs ‘Starts Up Front’

Every current or former NFL player knows that success starts up front, and the Giants have the personnel in the trenches to compete with the NFL’s best.

“If the Giants are going to the playoffs in John Harbaugh’s first year, this is going to have to look like a Harbaugh team quickly, and I think it has the chance to,” Breer wrote. “That, of course, is going to start up front.

“Andrew Thomas has to stay healthy at left tackle, and Francis Mauigoa needs to be ready to roll at guard (he was an immediate starter in college, too, so the transition should be smooth).”

The Giants pass rush is ferocious, but they will need to improve on their 31st-best run defense from 2025.

“On defense, with the monster (and versatile) linebacker group they have, they’ll need the defensive tackle position to stay healthy (DJ Reader, Shelby Harris) and continue to evolve, something that was reflected in last week’s trade with the Ravens for C.J. Okoye, an International Pathways player that Harbaugh had in Baltimore,” Breer wrote. “Otherwise, a lot of pieces are in place.”

To Make the Playoffs, the Giants Probably Need to Beat the Cowboys Week 1

The Giants have only started 1-0 twice in the past 15 seasons, and they made the playoffs in each of those seasons.

In 2016, the Giants defeated the Cowboys 20-19 in Week 1 en route to the postseason. In 2022, they rallied from 13-0 down and won 21-20 on Saquon Barkley’s successful two-point conversion with 1:06 left to hang on against the Tennessee Titans.

Giants fans can hope the game Sunday night won’t be decided by one point. But with a primetime road game against the heavy Super Bowl-favorite Los Angeles Rams looming in Week 2 — and potentially Aaron Donald’s return to football — the Giants would be wise to start 1-0.