As the Giants prep for their preseason opener vs. the Bills, all eyes are on Brian Daboll & Joe Schoen. Can they survive a make-or-break 2024 NFL season?
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
There was no game on the schedule for the New York Giants on Thursday, but the stakes couldn't feel higher. As the team wrapped up its final preparations for Saturday's preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills, the air around training camp was thick with pressure. After a disastrous 3-14 campaign in 2024, this isn't just another season; it's a make-or-break year for Head Coach Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen, and the first test is just days away.
The Giants face the league's toughest strength-of-schedule, with 10 games against 2024 playoff teams, including six in the first eight weeks.
Let's not mince words: jobs are on the line. After the regression of 2024, both Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen are firmly on the hot seat. The success of their draft picks and free-agent signings will be scrutinized from the very first snap on Saturday. Analyst Ralph Vacchiano's prediction of a 6-11 finish underscores the skepticism surrounding this team. To defy those odds, the Giants need to show a new level of discipline, execution, and fight, starting with this first preseason contest.
While the coaches face the heat, the players face the competition. With training camp in full swing, several key roster spots are still up for grabs. The battles at quarterback, wide receiver, and in the defensive backfield are the talk of camp, and Saturday's game will be the first live-fire audition for many hopefuls. Who will emerge as the primary backup QB? Which receiver will step up to become a reliable target? These questions will begin to find answers against the Bills. Thankfully, the team remains healthy, with no major injuries reported on Thursday, ensuring all hands are on deck.
If the internal pressure wasn't enough, the external schedule provides a brutal reality check. The Giants are slated to face one of the league's most difficult schedules, a gauntlet that features 10 games against teams that made the playoffs last year. A staggering six of those matchups occur in the first eight weeks of the season. This unforgiving slate makes a strong start imperative. The preseason, therefore, takes on added importance as a launchpad to build momentum and chemistry before the real tests begin.
All eyes now turn to Saturday at 1:00 p.m. ET. The game against the Buffalo Bills isn't just an exhibition; it's the first public referendum on the Daboll-Schoen era's future. It's a chance for young players to seize a role and for the team to send a message that 2025 will be different. The rebuild is over; the results need to start now.
