If all you want to see on Sunday is for the Giants to improve their draft position, you couldn't have picked a better opponent to end the season than the Eagles.
The Giants (5-11) have lost 17 of their last 20 games in this rivalry, and the Eagles have a chance to win the NFC East with a win combined with the Cowboys' loss to the Commanders. You must be sufficiently motivated.
All that's at stake for the Giants is pride and draft position.
Here's a guide for fans on how to root for Week 18, depending on whether draft position is important to you or whether your goal is to ruin the Eagles' dreams.
The Giants will enter the finale with the No. 5 pick.
Q: How far can the Giants pick?
answer: Number 2.
If the Giants lose and the Commanders (vs. Cowboys), Patriots (vs. Jets) and Cardinals (vs. Seahawks) win, the four will be at least tied at 5-12.
The Bears (via Panthers) are locked in first place.
Q: How far can the Giants pick?
answer: Number 8.
If the Giants, Chargers (vs. Chiefs), and Titans (vs. Jaguars) all win, and the Jets lose (vs. Patriots), there will be a four-way tie at 6-11.
Q: Are any of these teams likely to win?
answer: According to BetMGM.com, both the Patriots (-1.5) and Chargers (-3.5) are favored.
Q: What is a tiebreak?
answer: The first is strength of schedule, even if the two sides are tied, the lower number gets the better pick.
According to Tankathon.com, the Giants' strength of schedule (.511) is the second-worst of the seven teams in the log jam, bettered only by the Jets (.507).
These numbers will change slightly based on Week 18 results.
If the strength of the schedules is the same, there could be a tie for division and conference records.
If these do not apply, or if the teams are in different conferences, ties are broken by head-to-head record, followed by winning percentage of at least four common games, and then strength of wins across all games.
Q: How slow is too late for a top quarterback?
answer: The consensus is that quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Drake Maye and receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will be top-three picks in some order.
The crapshoot starts at No. 4, with offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, pass rusher Dallas Turner, and a few others potentially available based on each team's performance.
That list includes Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jaden Daniels and National Championship-winning quarterback Michael Penix Jr., both widely rated within the top five. It's coming down.
Q: What is the most likely scenario?
answer: According to ESPN, the Giants have a less than 1 percent chance of getting the No. 2 pick, a 7 percent chance of getting the No. 3 pick, a 36 percent chance of getting the No. 4 pick, and a 36 percent chance of getting the No. 5 pick. The probability is 43%. analysis.
The Giants have the best odds at No. 4 and No. 5.
This percentage reflects the starting quarterback in Week 18 with some starters resting, but does not take into account unknown quarterback decisions.
According to ESPN's Football Power Index, the Giants have an 85.1 percent chance of landing a top-five pick.
