New York Giants 2021 NFL schedule: 5 must-win games

2) at Los Angeles Chargers

On the surface, a crossover game against the AFC West holds little bearing in the standings, but the Chargers present quite the measuring stick for Judge’s NY Giants.

The NY Giants are banking on Daniel Jones making the kind of significant leap in his third NFL season that justifies both a second contract, and dissuades the organization from taking a quarterback high in the 2022 NFL Draft. Meanwhile, Justin Herbert is fresh off wining Offensive Rookie of The Year and is one of the NFL’s most promising young passers.

This offseason, the Chargers have aggressively fortified a roster that could be ready to take a big step towards competing for a wild card berth in the hyper-competitive and deep AFC. Meanwhile, the Giants finally surrounded Jones with a truly gifted No. 1 wide receiver, and plugged holes in the secondary of a burgeoning defense.

The outcome of this game won’t make or break the NY Giants’ postseason chances, but it’s the type of game that New York would love to have tucked away in its back pocket as well as a litmus test for just how committed the organization should be to its young quarterback.