Big Blue View
The New York Giants were swept by the Washington Commanders last season. The Giants’ NFC East rival went on to lose in the NFC Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles, while New York toiled in turmoil en route to a three-win season.
The Giants’ Week 2 loss was further marred by New York’s decision not to promote practice squad kicker Jude McAtamney, as 37-year-old Graham Gano dealt with an injury. Gano was hurt on the opening kickoff, and the Commanders kicked seven field goals to win 21-18.
Shane Bowen’s defense struggled, despite holding the Commanders to zero touchdowns. I detail it in this video:
The Commanders defeated the Giants in Week 9, 27-22. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin had two touchdowns on two catches, and New York fell to 2-7 on the season. Daniel Jones would be benched two games later.
Thankfully, the 2024 season is over. The Giants’ defense added valuable pieces that should help New York defend Kliff Kingsbury and Jayden Daniels. However, Washington added pieces as well:
The Commanders traded for left tackle Laremy Tunsil (Texans) and wide receiver Deebo Samuel (49ers). The former is an elite upgrade and the latter fits in well with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s horizontal attack. After a contract dispute, Terry McLaurin has returned to the team and is ready for Week 1.
Washington also drafted Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. in the first round, wide receiver Jaylin Lane (Virginia Tech) in the fourth, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Arizona/New Mexico) in the seventh round; Croskey-Merritt — who goes by “Bill” — will work in a running back by committee with Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Austin Ekeler, after the Commanders sent Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Fransciso 49ers in another trade (not related to Samuel).
Unfortunately for Washington, its impressive starting right guard, Sam Cosmi, is still recovering from a torn ACL, so veteran Nick Allegretti is expected to receive the start.
New York sought to improve its defense through the draft and free agency. They added safety Jevon Holland, cornerback Paulson Adebo, and several depth defensive line pieces in March during free agency. Then they spent the number three overall pick in the draft on Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter. The former Nittany Lion joins Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and Kayvon Thibodeaux as one of the most fearsome foursomes in the NFL.
Still, as Brian Burns has made clear, the Giants have not proven anything, and being good on paper isn’t worth the paper; it must translate to the football field. New York also added defensive lineman Darius Alexander in the third round, but the rookie had a slow start to minicamp and training camp. It’s unclear how many reps he’ll receive in Week 1.
The Commanders’ offense averaged 28.5 points per game last season, ranking them fifth in the NFL. They had a +94 point differential, and they were the number one scrambling offense in the NFL; Jayden...
