Overview
- Both teams enter at 2-13, and a loss would give the loser the clearest path to the 2026 draft’s first pick, though results and tiebreakers could still change the order.
- Raiders star Maxx Crosby said, “I don’t give a sh— about the pick… I don’t play for that,” echoing comments from Geno Smith and Pete Carroll about playing to win.
- The Giants currently hold the top slot based on a weaker strength of schedule, with the Browns and Jets positioned to leapfrog if multiple teams finish tied.
- Las Vegas’ long-running need at quarterback heightens the stakes, with Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza widely projected as the current favorite to go No. 1.
- The meeting is rare by league standards, with NFL records noting only a few late-season games between teams 11-plus games under .500 since the merger.