On paper, a Week 16 NFL game between two teams with only a couple of wins might seem meaningless. However, this one is quite the opposite. The New York Giants visit the Las Vegas Raiders in a matchup where, oddly enough, the team that loses actually comes out ahead. It sounds strange, but that’s the reality: both teams need to lose.
Jaxson Dart surprises fans with an unforgettable moment of pure madness
The situation is simple. The team that loses would almost lock up the first overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, which would allow them to select the best player in the class or trade the pick at a very high price and build for the future. In the Raiders’ case, a team that desperately needs a quarterback, landing that pick would give them the chance to select Fernando Mendoza, quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers and the current Heisman Trophy winner.
Meanwhile, the New York Giants have discovered a major talent this season in Jaxson Dart. Because of that, some believe that if they secure the first overall pick, the franchise would trade it for a massive return to stockpile assets for the future. That’s why this Raiders vs. Giants matchup has more than enough intrigue to draw attention.
The Giants’ response to the Raiders
The Raiders’ best offensive player is undoubtedly tight end Brock Bowers, who had an outstanding 2024 season. However, during the 2025 season, starting in Week 1, he has been dealing with a knee injury-a combination of a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) sprain and a bone bruise in his left knee.
This season, Bowers missed three games, and with just a couple of weeks left in the regular season, the Las Vegas Raiders placed him on injured reserve (IR), officially ending his 2025 campaign. Following this news, conspiracy theories emerged suggesting the Raiders made this move to lose the game, which is not true, but it’s part of the NFL spectacle.
As a result, when the Giants released their injury report, many fans believed they were also ruling out players in response. As of Thursday, two key offensive linemen for New York have yet to practice and are likely to miss Sunday’s game: left tackle Andrew Thomas and center John Michael Schmitz.
It’s clear that in a league like the NFL, no team takes the field intending to lose. There are too many interests at stake, including player incentives, and no one would jeopardize their professionalism. These conversations are common in games like this, but both teams will play to win. Still, the reality remains: the team that loses will be the real winner, while the team that wins will simply add one more victory.
