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10 Things To Watch For

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10 things to watch in Giants vs. Commanders

KAFKA-QUINN-10-THINGS

FINISH THE YEAR STRONG

Following their Week 14 bye, the 2-11 Giants now enter the final stretch of the season. Three of the team's four remaining games are at MetLife Stadium, including two matchups against divisional opponents, starting with this weekend against the Commanders.

"Regardless of the record, I mean, our focus and our vision is on Washington and how we can improve as a team, how we improve individually, and then as a group, and then as a team," interim head coach Mike Kafka told reporters Tuesday. "So, again, our coordinators and our coaches have a really clear plan on how we want to do that, how we want to attack it. So now it's about bringing that to life and no better than our players having that opportunity and continuing to find ways for them to get better.

"I think as an NFL football player, you want to be able to maximize yourself, and that's what our challenge is as coaching staff, is to continue to maximize our players. So, putting them in a good position, continuing to have an aggressive mindset, and then attacking this week with great urgency."

ALL-TIME SERIES

The New York Giants (2-11) will host the Washington Commanders (3-10) on Sunday, December 14. Kickoff is set for 1:00 pm ET on FOX.

Sunday's game marks the 188th all-time meeting between the teams. In regular season play, they've faced off 185 times, and twice in the postseason.

The Giants' lost their most recent meeting with the Commanders on September 7, 2025, by a score of 21-6. They lead the series at home, 57-31-1.

See the top photos from practice as the Giants prepare for their Week 15 matchup against the Commanders.

INJURY REPORT

Giants

Out: WR Beaux Collins (Neck/Concussion), OLB Victor Dimukeje (Knee), CB Nic Jones (Shoulder), DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Sr. (Ankle), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (Shoulder)

Doubtful: P Jamie Gillan (Left Knee)

Questionable: DL D.J. Davidson (Illness), OL Joshua Ezeudu (Calf), LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (Illness/Neck/Knee), CB Art Green (Hamstring), DL Dexter Lawrence (Hamstring), LB Darius Muasau (Ankle), WR Gunner Olszewski (Concussion)

Commanders

Out: QB Jayden Daniels (Left Elbow), DE Drake Jackson (Groin/Knee), CB Jonathan Jones (Rib)

Questionable: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. (Groin), WR Deebo Samuel Sr. (Illness)

HOW TO WATCH, LISTEN & STREAM

TV

Channel: FOX

Announcers: Kenny Albert (Play-By-Play), Jonathan Vilma (Analyst), Megan Olivi (Sideline)

Postgame: Giants Postgame Live presented by Hackensack Meridian Health, MSG Networks, The Gotham Sports App, YouTube, Giants.com, Giants App, Giants TV

Radio

Channel: WFAN 101.9PM / 66 AM

Announcers: Bob Papa (Play-by-Play), Cark Banks (Analyst), Howard Cross (Sideline)

Pre- and Postgame: John Schmeelk, Tiki Barber

Pregame: Giants Gameday begins at 11:00 AM, presented by Hackensack Meridian Health.

Postgame: Giants Extra Point

Stream

This week's game can be streamed on NFL+.

ROUNDING OUT ROOKIE CAMPAIGNS

Jaxson Dart returned to action in Week 13 after being sidelined for two games due to a concussion. The rookie completed 70.8 percent of his passes, his second-highest completion percentage of the season, for 139 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions and added 20 yards on the ground. However, it came on just four carries, his lowest number of rush attempts since taking over as the starting quarterback. After some time off during the bye week, the 22-year-old returned to the facility ready to roll in the final four games of the season.

"Great to be back," Dart added after practice. "Really good energy today. It felt refreshing. Had some time off and everybody was just excited to get back to work. Just took a lot of time to self-scout and just going to improve on things we need to improve on in these next four weeks."

Meanwhile, Abdul Carter's Week 13 produced mixed feelings. The outside linebacker was benched for the first quarter against the Patriots for a disciplinary matter that interim head coach Mike Kafka said was his decision. This was the second time in three games that Carter was not on the field with the rest of the defense to start the game.

But once he took the field, Carter put together perhaps the best game of his rookie season. The 22-year-old racked up six total pressures in the final three quarters, including the first full sack of his NFL career. It was the first time Carter got a sack since his half-sack in the season opener. The No. 3 overall pick now has nine total pressures and four quarterback hits over his last two games as he looks to keep his strong play going in the final month of the season. Heading into Week 15, Carter ranks ninth among all edge rushers in pass rush win rate at 18 percent, according to ESPN Analytics.

"Just in terms of, like, pattern behavior, he's doing more," defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen said Thursday about Carter's response to his first quarter benching. "He's watching more film. He's coming in earlier and staying later. So the response is what I focus on. Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody needs to learn the NFL process, which he's learning right now. But his response to those moments has been awesome. It's been pro-like. And that's all you're asking a young player to do is just become a pro as they grow in their game. And he has."

MARIOTA TO START

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn provided a significant update at the start of his Wednesday press conference with the news that Jayden Daniels will not play this weekend. The second-year QB made his return to the field last weekend after an elbow injury sidelined him for a month. However, Daniels took a hit to the same elbow against the Vikings which forced him to depart early. While out there, he completed just nine of 20 pass attempts for 78 yards and an interception.

Veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota will once again start for the injured Daniels. The 11th-year signal-caller has played in nine games with six starts for the Commanders this season. He has completed 62.9 percent of his passes for 1,389 yards, nine touchdowns and seven interceptions while taking 13 sacks. He's also added 39 carries for 255 yards (6.5 avg.) and one touchdown.

"I think they both have a similar skill set," Kafka said Tuesday about Daniels and Mariota. "They're both able to run and throw and operate. Marcus is a veteran quarterback. I remember him from my time in Tennessee. We played together there for a hot minute for a couple weeks. But yeah, a lot of respect for both of those guys. And (Commanders offensive coordinator) Kliff (Kingsbury) does a great job with the offense. Yeah, so it's going to be a big challenge for us."

PLAYER TO WATCH

TE Theo Johnson – The second-year tight end has developed some nice chemistry with Jaxson Dart this season. His eight targets in Week 13 resulted in just three receptions for 29 yards, but over the last four games, Johnson has two games with 75 or more receiving yards. The Commanders have allowed the ninth-most receiving yards to tight ends this season, while their nine touchdowns allowed to the position ranks as the second-most. Vikings tight ends combined for three touchdowns against the Commanders last week.

MATCHUP TO WATCH

OLB Abdul Carter vs. LT Laremy Tunsil – Carter is coming off perhaps his best game of the season with six pressures and his first full sack against the Patriots, all in the final three quarters. He ranks ninth among all edge rushers in pass rush win rate, according to ESPN Analytics. Carter has a tough matchup this week, though, going up against Tunsil. The veteran has allowed just one sack and 14 pressures over the last 12 games, and currently ranks as Pro Football Focus' No. 3 offensive tackle in pass protection this season. Sunday might be Carter's toughest test yet.

COMMANDER TO WATCH

LB Bobby Wagner – Wagner is 35 years old and in his 14th season, and yet he is still playing at an elite level. The veteran linebacker ranks third in the NFL with 131 total tackles, just one shy of his 2024 season total and in four fewer games. Wagner has three sacks and two interceptions, and if all of that wasn't enough, he ranks inside PFF's top five linebackers in both run defense and pass rush. The Giants' offensive line is going to have to make sure they know where Wagner is at all times on Sunday.

STAT TO KNOW

Through the first 13 games of the season, Washington has the No. 4 rushing offense in the NFL, averaging 136.5 yards per game on the ground. The Commanders' 4.9 average yards per carry ranks seventh. Meanwhile, the Giants have surrendered 154.2 rushing yards per game, the second-most in the NFL, while the team's 5.78 average yards per carry allowed is the highest in the NFL. The Giants have also allowed the most yards per carry (7.0), the highest success rate (54.8 percent) and the highest explosive play rate (25.0 percent) on outside rushes this season.

View photos from the all-time series between the New York Giants and the Washington Commanders.

Screenshot 2025-08-01 at 3.36.49 PM

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