The Giants' 2019 regular-season schedule is set, as a leak was confirmed by SNY's Ralph Vacchiano on Wednesday. Big Blue wants to bounce back from their 5-11 record of last season, but it will be no easy task with the opponents they are set to play.

Here's what matchups to look forward to this season...

Familiar Opener

The Giants will open their new season against the Cowboys in AT&T Stadium on Sept. 8. Bet you haven't heard that one before...

This is the sixth time in eight years that the NFC East rivals will face off in Week 1. It would have been four years in a row if the Giants didn't open up last season at home against the Jaguars.

But everything is back to normal with the opener in the Lone Star State. The last time the Giants opened in Dallas, it was the Cowboys who won 19-3. The Giants did, however, win in 2016 (thank you Terrance Williams).

Most pivotal stretch

Many don't expect the Giants to be playoff contenders this season, but let's be optimistic here and say they are coming off their bye week in Week 11. New York will have a tough stretch of games with the Bears, Packers, and Eagles on Monday Night Football through Week 12-14, where two of those three are on the road.

The Bears made a statement last season, and they should be battling for a playoff spot at this point, too. Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay is self explanatory. And this will be the first time the Giants and Eagles meet this season, meaning it's bound to be a hard-fought game with the national TV cameras and all.

After this stretch of games, the Giants finish the final three weeks of the regular season against the Dolphins, Redskins, and Eagles. But those games may not matter if they can't come away with some victories in the weeks prior. For that final game against the Eagles in Week 17 to be worth something, a strong surge off the bye will be key for this Giants team.

MetLife Bowl matters this time

As usual, the Giants and Jets will face each other in the preseason. But in Week 10 as well this year.

The Giants play against the AFC East this season, which means Sam Darnold and Gang Green will battle it out against Saquon Barkley and Big Blue. It's been four years since these two have last met in the regular season, and Giants fans won't want to recall it. Yours truly watched as Josh Brown shanked a field goal in overtime to end the game with a Jets victory.

But these two squads are entirely different since they last met. Add Le'Veon Bell, subtract Odell Beckham Jr., and of course, the No. 2 and No. 3 picks from last year's Draft. It's always fun to see this rivalry mean something in the regular season, and though it's technically a Jets home game, blue and green jerseys will fill the stands to see who gets bragging rights for the next four years.

Must-win games

For the past two seasons, the Giants have gotten off to dreadful starts. They were winless in their first five games of 2017, and last season wasn't much better at 1-4 through the first five.

Well, if they want to be taken seriously this time around, they can't make it third times the charm. So from Week 2-4, New York must be able to beat the Bills, Bucs, and Redskins to get off to a hot start and make a statement. Before they reach the Patriots on Thursday Night Football in Week 6, the Giants should have a few wins under their belt (two of those games are at home).

After that New England battle, the Giants get a much easier break in Weeks 7 and 8 with the Cardinals and Lions as well.

Welcome to New York, Kyler?

Full disclaimer: This is a big guess on my part, but it would be a very interesting game to watch. A Giants-Cardinals isn't the most intriguing game on paper right now, but what if experts' predictions come true and the Cardinals select Kyler Murray first overall next week?

The dual threat quarterback will be the QB1 for Arizona, and they could put their 2018 first-rounder Josh Rosen on the trade block. Well, guess who'd likely be interested if that was the case?

Imagine Rosen under center for Big Blue facing off against the rookie that forced him out. Now that would be a fun matchup to watch.

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