In the NFL, teams play 17 games.
While the majority of the opponents change each year depending on the rotation of divisions and the performance of the team in the previous year, there is one constant.
Your divisional opponents.
They are the only teams you are 100% sure that you will face each year, and unlike the others, you will face them twice, at home and on the road.
This means that just over a third of the season is games against your divisional rivals.
To make the playoffs, you need to have a good record against these teams.
One team looking to reach the playoffs this year, but does not have this good record is the New York Giants.
Giants are 0-3-1 vs the NFC East this season pic.twitter.com/FDHa4934Rt
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 14, 2022
Can’t Beat The Rivals
The Giants are currently 0-3-1 against their divisional rivals.
They have lost twice this season against the Dallas Cowboys, in games in which they struggled.
Last weekend, they were destroyed by the Philadelphia Eagles, in a game that gave the Eagles the NFC East title and a playoff berth.
The only bright spot (if you can call it that) is the tie against the Washington Commanders.
This was a game that the Giants should have won, and would have helped their playoff chances.
This weekend, the Giants face the Commanders again, in a must-win game for both teams.
In a tight division like the NFC East, every game against your divisional foes is important.
The result of these games is the difference between making the playoffs as a Wild Card team or missing out completely.
If the Giants do not want to miss out, they need this win.
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