THE Washington Commanders (6-2) face the New York Giants (2-6) in Week 9, a rematch of Week 2. The Commanders won that day, 21-18, without scoring an offensive touchdown. It was a game decided by the kicker – on both sides.
The Commanders just had Austin Seibert the week before, and he made all seven field goal attempts. Meanwhile, Giants kicker Graham Gano was injured on the opening kickoff and was lost for the rest of the game.
A lot has changed since Week 2. The Commanders won the opener against the Giants and have now won six of their last seven behind rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and a legitimate top-5 offense. Meanwhile, New York is going through another losing season.
To learn everything you need to know about the 2024 Giants, we sat down with Dan Benton, editor-in-chief of Giants Wire.
Will the Giants bench Daniel Jones if he struggles on Sunday?
Database: No. The Giants didn’t really “bench” Daniel Jones in the first place. Brian Daboll retired most of the starters in the team’s loss to the Eagles, but that’s obviously not as captivating in national headlines. Additionally, Jones is at his best when he steps on the field against Washington, so barring an unforeseen event or a total loss, it’s safe to assume that DJ will be around for four full quarters and for the rest of the season .
Tyrone Tracy was a nice surprise for the Giants. Will he play Sunday and how does that change things for the offense?
Database: As of this writing, he is close to being released from concussion protocol and getting the start, which is great news for the Giants. This isn’t a knock on Devin Singletary, but Tracy is an incredibly versatile athlete who gets better with every play. He’s a decisive, dynamic runner who can split wide receivers and wide receivers like a true wide receiver , thus exposing the disparities against linebackers and safeties. Giants fans and the NFL as a whole should be excited to see this kid play. He’s going to be really good.
How have the Giants fared in pass protection?
Database: It was much worse following Andrew Thomas’ injury. They tried Joshua Ezeudu, and it was a disaster, then they turned to Chris Hubbard, and it was even worse. It looks like Hubbard will get the call again on Sunday, and that can’t mean good things for the Giants, since he ranked dead last in pass protection in Week 8. This issue rests squarely on the shoulders of general manager Joe Schoen, who was entirely too comfortable with a swing tackle situation that everyone and their mother knew was a glaring weakness.
The Giants are pretty good on defense, but why do they have so much trouble running?
Database: Apart from Dexter Lawrence, they have nothing inside. If two guys eat it, we move to the second level. On the outside, Azeez Ojulari (and Kayvon Thibodeaux before him) are excellent passers but are not consistent in creating the advantage. And when you get to the Giants’ cornerbacks and safeties (outside of Tyler Nubin and Andru Phillips, in general), tackling becomes an issue. This is somewhat odd, given that Shane Bowen’s fame stopped the run – it’s literally the reason Daboll hired him.
Prediction: who wins and why?
Database: If this game was on the road, I would be much more inclined to pick the Giants. They constantly play Washington, which is when Daniel Jones shines the most, and few trends seem to change that. The Giants should have won in Week 2 without terrible personnel management, but being at MetLife Stadium gives me pause. The Giants are at their worst in front of their own fans for some reason. Yet, my heart says Giants but my brain says Washington… Barely. Commanders 24, Giants 21.
This article was originally published on Commanders Wire: Behind Enemy Lines: Week 9 Q&A with Giants Wire
