As the New York Giants continued their descent toward irrelevance once again, they had a front-row seat to watch their NFC East rivals, the Washington Commanders led by the quarterback Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll wanted, blow by them.
The Commanders swept the Giants in 2024, escaping MetLife Stadium with a 27-22 victory on Sunday afternoon behind 209 yards and two touchdowns from Jayden Daniels, and 150 yards on the ground.
While Washington improves to 7-2 for the first time since 1996, thus strengthening its hold on the NFC East, the Giants have now lost four straight games to sag to 2-7 in 2024 — further misery during the Schoen and Daboll era that has yielded very few positives.
New York quarterback Daniel Jones had an efficient day despite the loss, completing 20 of 26 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns — something that had been extinct for the passer in recent years at home — to go with 54 yards on the ground.
The Commanders got the opening for their breakthrough through a Jones turnover, though. With 8:23 to go in the first quarter, Big Blue’s passer was hit by Dante Fowler Jr. and attempted to get a pass off to Devin Singletary. The poor excuse for a pass was scooped up by linebacker Bobby Wagner, giving Washington possession at the Giants’ 31-yard line.
Three plays later, the Commanders were in the end zone when Daniels hit Terry McLaurin for a one-yard score with 7:04 to go in the first.
Uncharacteristically, though, the Giants came up with an answer on their ensuing drive while ending a drought that lasted more than two years.
New York reeled off a 16-play, 73-yard drive that lasted over nine minutes and wound into the second quarter. It ended with Jones throwing his first touchdown pass at MetLife Stadium in 672 days, dating back to Week 18 of the 2022 season — a one-yard score to Chris Manhertz.
The good feelings died quickly, as the Commanders had an immediate answer. Daniels helped lead an 11-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a one-yard score by Austin Ekeler.
Washington then put it away late in the second quarter with an 18-yard connection between Daniels and McLaurin from 18 yards out just six seconds before the break to sink the Giants into a 14-point hole at halftime.
After the teams traded field goals in the third quarter, the Giants pulled to within eight when Jones snuck in from two yards out. The two-point conversion failed, however, to leave their deficit at 24-16 with 9:25 left in the game.
The Commanders tacked on a field goal before Jones hit rookie tight end Theo Johnson for a 35-yard touchdown with 2:48 to go to make it a five-point game.
New York simply ran out of time, however, as Daniels connected with Olamide Zacchaeus for 42 yards to drive the Commanders down to the Giants’ 1-yard line before they were able to kneel it out.
