Commanders ready for home opening matchup of 0-1 NFC East rival Giants

The Washington Commanders are making their home opening debut of the 2024 season at a deficit. The team will be taking on the New York Giants at the newly-named but not beloved Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. Here’s some things to look out for this week:

Game details

N.Y. Giants (0-1) at Washington (0-1)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Fox

BetMGM NFL Odds: Commanders by 1 1/2

Against the spread: New York 0-1; Washington 0-1

Series record: Giants lead 108-71-5.

Last meeting: Giants beat Commanders 31-19 on Nov. 19, 2023, at Washington.

Last week: Giants lost to Vikings 28-6; Commanders lost to Buccaneers 37-20.

Giants offense: overall (26), rush (27), pass (17), scoring (32)

Giants defense: overall (19), rush (15), pass (21), scoring (t-9)

Commanders offense: overall (17), rush (19), pass (19), scoring (t-21)

Commanders defense: overall (26), rush (16), pass (29), scoring (31)

Turnover differential: Giants even; Commanders even

Commanders player to watch

CB Benjamin St-Juste got lit up by Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans last week. Although St-Juste was not solely to blame — a lack of a pass rush did not help — he could be tested again by Daniel Jones throwing over and over to Darius Slayton or first-round pick Malik Nabers.

Giants player to watch

LB Kayvon Thibodeaux has 5 1/2 sacks, seven tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for a touchdown in four games against Washington. He aims for his fifth consecutive game against Washington with a sack. He also should be motivated after getting one quarterback hurry and making no tackles in the opener.

Key matchup

Giants defense vs. the Commanders offensive line. Brian Burns and Thibodeaux were hardly difference-makers against Minnesota, and Washington is motivated to keep rookie QB Jayden Daniels upright and healthy. Daniels is expected to run less and stay in the pocket more, so there will be extra opportunities for New York to force the issue and more time for the offensive line to block.

Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels led 16 carries against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first game of the 2024 season. Should fans panic? Not yet says JP Finaly.

Key injuries

Giants returner Gunner Olszewski (groin), CB Nick McCloud (knee) and rookie LB Darius Muasau (knee) were ruled out. … Slayton is a game-time decision after going through concussion protocol. … Nabers was limited in practice Thursday because of a knee injury before being full go Friday. … PK Graham Gano (groin) was added to the list Saturday but he is expected to play. … Commanders CB Emmanuel Forbes is out after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. … DE Clelin Ferrell (knee), S Quan Martin (hamstring) and rookie DT Johnny Newton (foot) are questionable. Newton could make his NFL debut after missing Week 1 following offseason surgery.

Series notes

The Giants have won the past three and are unbeaten in four, including a 20-20 tie on Dec. 4, 2022. The last Washington win was 22-7 on Jan. 9, 2021, the final game for then-New York GM Dave Gettleman and coach Joe Judge. The Giants had so little offense, Judge elected to have quarterback Jake Fromm run sneaks on second and third down inside his 5 in the second quarter. … This is Dan Quinn’s first game against the Giants as a head coach since Oct. 22, 2018, with Atlanta. He coached against them six times over the previous three seasons as Dallas’ defensive coordinator.

Stats and stuff

Giants QB Daniel Jones is 5-1-1 in seven starts against Washington. He has thrown 10 TDs and run for one with three interceptions. Coming off ACL surgery, he struggled in the opener, completing 22 of 42 passes for 186 yards and two interceptions, including a pick-6. … RB Devin Singletary was limited to 37 yards rushing against Minnesota as the Giants fell behind and threw more. … Nabers had five catches for 66 yards in NFL debut, including two 25-yard receptions. … WR Wan’Dale Robinson had team-high six catches for 44 yards. … DT Dexter Lawrence had New York’s only sack last week, the 22nd of his career. … LB Bobby Okereke had a fumble recovery last week. He had 14 tackles and two forced fumbles in these teams’ last meeting. … Muasau had six tackles and his first interception against Minnesota. … Daniels was 17 of 24 for 184 yards and ran 16 times for 88 yards and two TDs in his NFL debut. … RBs Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler combined to catch seven passes for 101 yards against the Buccaneers. … WR Terry McLaurin was targeted just four times and made two catches for 17 yards in the season opener. … Zach Ertz is 38 yards away from becoming the 12th tight end in league history to reach 7,500 yards receiving. … DT Jonathan Allen is one sack from tying Brian Orakpo for sixth in Washington’s franchise history, since sacks became an official stat in 1982. … LB Bobby Wagner led the team with 10 tackles, including three for loss, in the opener. … Washington has a new kicker in Austin Seibert after cutting Cade York earlier in the week. York missed his two field goal attempts wide right last week.

Fantasy tip

Nabers could be Jones’ primary target, and the Commanders’ secondary is at best a work in progress and at worst has no answers in the passing game. Jones’ success against Washington in his career also should give pause to anyone thinking about picking up the Commanders defense.

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