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A Week 17 win snapped the New York Giants' franchise-worst losing streak but they may have given up their future in the process. With their win over the Indianapolis Colts, the New England Patriots are now the favorite to land the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Giants' win ties them with the Patriots and Tennessee Titans with league-worst 3-13 records. The Cleveland Browns could also match them if they lost to the Miami Dolphins. However, the Patriots are now in control, as a loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 18 would give them the top pick of the draft, per Adam Schefter.
Entering Week 17, the Giants were alone with the worst record in the NFL. They entered their final home game of the year as 7.5-point underdogs but upset the Anthony Richardson-less Colts by a final score of 45-33. It was their best offensive game of the season by a considerable margin, soaring over their previous season-high point total of 29.
The result also eliminated the Colts from playoff contention. Indianapolis entered the game clinging by a thread but allowed their sixth loss in nine games to erase any chance they had of making the postseason.
If the Patriots wind up with the No. 1 overall pick, it would be their first time entering the draft with the coveted selection since 1993. They selected Drew Bledsoe with that pick, who would go on to lead the franchise for the next nine years before being infamously supplanted by Tom Brady.
Patriots-Bills is not a guaranteed result
While many may see a matchup with the 13-3 Bills as a guaranteed loss for the Patriots, it may not be as lopsided as it initially appears. Buffalo just escaped with a narrow three-point win in their first meeting in Week 16 and will likely rest starters in Week 18.
With their Week 17 win over the New York Jets, the Bills are locked into the No. 2 seed in the AFC. The victory came days after the Kansas City Chiefs clinched the No. 1 overall seed on Christmas Day, giving them no stakes to play for in the regular season finale. In similar scenarios, teams typically rest all of their star players, if not all of their starters.
A loss would be ideal for the Patriots to secure the No. 1 pick but the team still seeks offensive cohesion in Drake Maye's rookie year. They have yet to receive any meaningful production from rookie wideouts Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, whom they had hoped would mesh well with Maye. Polk and Baker have combined for just 12 catches on the year.
