Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants: Three Keys to Watch

Washington Commanders (2-5-1) at New York Giants (5-2-1)

Where: MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.)

When: Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET

Watch: Prime Video, NFL+

Following a 20-13 loss to the Rams, the Washington Commanders have a short time to get ready for their Thursday night matchup against the division-rival New York Giants. This will be the second game between these two teams, with the first one ending in a 27-27 tie. Going into the game 2-5-1, the Commanders are in a must-win situation to keep their season alive. In a game that quarterback Jayden Daniels tabbed a "must win," diving into three storylines going into Thursday.

The Health and Performance of Quarterback JJ McCarthy

McCarthy was knocked out of last week’s game against the Eagles temporarily with a hip injury, and Jameis Winston took over under center. He returned in the fourth quarter and, thanks to two field-goal drives, helped the Giants clinch the victory. Head coach John Harbaugh stated that McCarthy is trending well and should be good to go for Thursday. Now, how will he perform with that hip injury? His first few games with New York have had their equal share of bright spots and rough patches. Against New Orleans, McCarthy came into the game in the fourth quarter and, after an interception on his first drive, led them to 17 unanswered points in a near-comeback. The game against the Eagles wasn’t easy for the team, as they struggled to move the ball early on before breaking through in the second half. The biggest thing for the Commanders’ defense has to be getting pressure on McCarthy and forcing him to make quick decisions. Edge rushers K’Lavon Chaisson and Odafe Oweh will be counted on to make a big impact early and often, and see if McCarthy’s hip isn’t going to slow him down.

No Foolish Errors from Washington:

The last meeting between these two teams had one of the strangest endings football fans have seen in the last few years. With time running out in overtime and the Commanders in field goal range to win the game, quarterback Jayden Daniels ran with the ball when there were no timeouts available. The clock hit triple zero, and the game ended in one of the craziest ties fans will ever see. More unusual events happened the following week, when Daniels threw the ball away on a fourth-down play and head coach Dan Quinn looked as if he had no idea what the downs were. Plays like this seem to summarize the Commanders’ season in one phrase; they just can’t out of their own way. Going up against the Giants for a second time, the Commanders cannot afford missteps anymore. They have to play as close to a perfect game as possible to have a chance to win on Thursday. 

Can Washington Run the Ball?

The Giants are third in the NFL in passing defense, giving up only 177.8 yards per game, and fifth in total defense. They haven’t been as strong, though, at stopping the run. New York is 21st in yards allowed per game, with 123.6 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry. Washington is 11th in rushing offense and eighth in yards per carry despite injuries in the backfield. Jacory Croskey-Merritt was lost to an injured groin, while Jemery McNichols faces potential foot surgery two games after briefly returning from IR. Right now, the Commanders’ running backs are Rachaad White, Austin Ekeler, and Robert Henry. And there’s always the running threat of quarterback Jayden Daniels. Rachaad White showed flashes a week ago, but Washington needs to establish their ground game early and often to keep New York on its toes. If the game gets away from them and the offense is forced to throw, the Giants will have them right where they want them.