WASHINGTON (3-3) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (1-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS
OPENING LINE: Commanders by 2 according to FanDuel SportsBook.
SERIES RECORD: Giants lead 106-71-5.
LAST MEETING: Giants beat Commanders 20-12 at Washington on Dec. 18.
LAST WEEK: Commanders beat Falcons 24-16; Giants lost to Bills 14-9.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Washington 3-3; Giants 1-5
COMMANDERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (22), RUSH (25), PASS (16), SCORING (16)
COMMANDERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (29), RUSH (23), PASS (27), SCORING (28)
GIANTS OFFENSE: OVERALL (31), RUSH (21), PASS (31), SCORING (32).
GIANTS DEFENSE: OVERALL (27), RUSH (31), PASS (16), SCORING (28).
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Commanders minus-2; Giants minus-3.
COMMANDERS PLAYER TO WATCH: Edge rusher Chase Young. Along a defensive line also featuring Montez Sweat and defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, Young has been one of the league’s best at hurrying opposing quarterbacks this season. It has turned into three sacks so far, but that number could go up against the Giants and a line that has given up 33 sacks.
GIANTS PLAYER TO WATCH: Kayvon Thibodeaux. The edge rusher leads the team with four sacks. He was on a good run until last week when he was limited to one tackle by the Bills. This could be a bounce-back game. The No. 5 overall pick in 2022, he had 12 tackles, including three for losses, a sack, a forced fumble and a recovery for TD against Washington last season.
KEY MATCHUP: The Giants secondary against Washington’s Sam Howell. He is 145 of 214 for 1,500 yards and nine touchdowns in his six starts this season. While New York is 27th overall on defense, the secondary has played well and is ranked No. 16. It held Josh Allen to 19 of 30 for 169 yards, two touchdowns and a pick last week. Cornerbacks Adoree Jackson and Deonte Banks are solid and linebacker Bobby Okereke has two tips in the past two games that led to interceptions.
KEY INJURIES: Commanders CB Kendall Fuller missed practice Wednesday with a knee injury. Giants: Quarterback Daniel Jones missed last week with a neck injury. LT Josh Ezeudu, who had started the past five games at left tackle, was placed on injured reserve with a toe injury. … RT Evan Neal (ankle) played after being a game-time decision. That will be the case this week. LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring) and C John Michael Schmitz (shoulder) back are likely to be out.
SERIES NOTES: When the teams first played in 1932, the Commanders were known as the Braves and played in Boston. They beat New York 14-6. They moved to Washington in 1937, changing the nickname, first of three times overall with the most recent in 2022. The teams are 2-2-1 in their past five games.
STATS AND STUFF: Howell is the third QB in NFL history to throw for 1,600 yards, rush for 135 and complete 67% of passes in his first seven starts. Justin Herbert and Robert Griffin III are the others. … Only Kirk Cousins, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow have more completions this season than Howell. … RB Brian Robinson Jr. has rushed for 302 yards and three touchdowns through six games. … WR Terry McLaurin has 1,807 yards receiving against NFC East opponents since making his NFL debut in 2019, the most of any player in that span. WR-PR Jamison Crowder was in the Giants training camp and cut. His 61-yard punt return last week was the longest in the NFC this season. .. New York’s offense has not scored a first-half touchdown this season. … Quarterback Tyrod Taylor made his first start since 2021 and was 24 of 36 for 200 yards. He had two TD passes in his previous start against Washington in 2015. … After missing three games with an ankle injury, RB Saquon Barkley ran for 93 yards in his return. … He has rushed for five TDs in seven games against Washington. … Darius Slayton led the team with 69 yards receiving against the Bills. TE Darren Waller has had five catches in each of the past two games. … Okereke had a team-high 11 tackles, two passes defensed and a forced fumble in Buffalo. … LB Micah McFadden had his first career interception and a fumble recovery.
FANTASY TIP: While McLaurin has been a pain against the Giants, Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson had nine catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns combined in the games last season. He also got only one target last week so expect Howell to make up Sunday.
___
AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
