Now that the NFL schedule has been delivered, the countdown is on until New York Giants fans see what the weekly contests bring Big Blue in its quest to rise from the ashes of three straight miserable seasons. The schedule is sure to have some twists and turns, including flexible scheduling and the outcomes of the games. But from a bigger-picture perspective, there are things about the Giants’ 2026 schedule that probably matter a little more than others. What Matters Weeks 16 and 17 The Giants’ lone stretch in which they have back-to-back road games in successive weeks happens to come at a critical time in the schedule: Weeks 16-17. The Giants will play the Detroit Lions on Monday, Dec. 28, before returning home on a short work week to get ready for a huge showdown against the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas, a place where they haven’t won since 2016. Suffice it to say, the Giants need to win as many of their divisional games as possible if they’re to have a chance at a postseason berth.…