If the Giants win these matchups, they should win the game
The New York Giants look to even their record at 1-1 Sunday against the Washington Commanders. Here are five key matchups to watch.
Giants edge defenders vs. Commanders offensive tackles
The Giants are banking heavily on the troika of nose tackle Dexter Lawrence and edge defenders Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux to wreak havoc in opposing backfields, covering for a young secondary that has question marks.
Burns (4 tackles, 1 quarterback hit) and Thibodeaux (0 tackles, 1 quarterback hit, 1 missed tackle, and a costly personal foul penalty on third-and-16 that led to a Minnesota Vikings touchdown) did not do their parts in Week 1.
Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said this week he has “got all the confidence in the world in them.”
Bowen, though, knows he needs those three players to be the Giants’ defensive catalysts.
“I tell them that every day. Where the resources are delegated, you got to be good. Your best players got to be good. It’s the nature of the league. Your best players got to play their best every single Sunday if you want to play good,” Bowen said. “Offense, defense, special teams, whatever it might be. With that, they do. They have to go out there and perform .. there’s expectations that come with the nature of the league.”
The Commanders have questions at offensive tackle, with veteran Washington, D.C. sportswriter Rick Snider telling the ‘Valentine’s Views’ podcast that “this offensive line is still really tattered on the ends.”
Washington starts 11-year veteran Cornelius Lucas at left tackle and seven-year veteran Andrew Wylie at right tackle. Rookie third-round pick Brandon Coleman also played 13 snaps at left tackle for Washington in Week 1.
By no means are these guys bad players. They do, though, seem like a step down from Minnesota tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill. It will be disconcerting if Thibodeaux and Burns are not able to have an impact on Sunday’s game.
Tae Banks vs. Terry McLaurin
The last time the Giants played the Commanders, winning 31-19 in November of last season, Banks had some harsh words for both the Commanders front office and for McLaurin, the team’s star wide receiver.
Banks, who grew up in the Baltimore area and played at the University Maryland, took a shot at the Commanders for bypassing him and drafting cornerback Emmanuel Forbes at No. 16.
“They could’ve (come) and got me at 16. And they didn’t. Now I’m 2-0 against you bum ass boys. F— the Commanders. They think they slick. They finna see me two times a year until the end of my career. Two times a year. Should’ve (come) and got me.”
Banks also had something to say about McLaurin after a five-catch, 43-yard day:
“I’m just trying to figure out, though, did 17 play today?” Banks said on Instagram. “That’s all I wanna know. Did he play today? Did he play? I just wanna know if he played.”
With Banks now the Giants’ No. 1 cornerback and likely responsible for following McLaurin whenever the Giants are in man-to-man defense, this was always going to be an interesting matchup. Banks’ words heighten the stakes for the 23-year-old.
In Week 1, Banks had a 156.2 passer rating against while trying to shadow Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson, perhaps the league’s best receiver. Banks was victimized by Jefferson for a 44-yard catch and a 3-yard touchdown.
“I think he keeps improving,” head coach Brian Daboll said this week when asked about Banks. “He’s done a nice job for us up to this point. We’re going to need him to. He’s going against, obviously, another good player, McLaurin, who’s a really good receiver, vertical guy. He’s been a good player for a long time. He (Banks) is a second-year player that just keeps on getting better.”
Giants offensive line vs. Commanders defensive line
The strength of the Washington defense, and perhaps of its entire team, is its defensive line.
Daron Payne is in the midst of a four-year, $90 million contract with $46.01 million guaranteed. That is virtually identical to Dexter Lawrence’s four-year, $90 million extension that guaranteed him $46.5 million. Payne has 30.5 sacks over seven seasons, and had 11.5 in a Pro Bowl 2022 season.
Jonathan Allen is a two-time Pro Bowler drafted by Washington in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He has 39.0 career sacks.
Clelin Ferrell was a first-round pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2019. Ferrell popped up on Washington’s injury report Friday. He is questionable with a knee injury.
The Giants’ revamped offensive line played better, at least in pass protection, than the five sacks taken by Daniel Jones vs. Minnesota would indicate. Pro Football Focus ranked the Giants 12th in the league in pass blocking.
Where the line struggled mightily was in run blocking, with PFF grading the Giants last in the league in that category.
The Giants tackles held up well. Andrew Thomas had the best PFF pass-blocking grade of any tackle in Week 1, and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor was 27th among 65 qualifying tackles.
The biggest issue was at center, where John Michael Schmitz was 26th among 32 qualifying centers in pass blocking and 29th overall.
“I think they did a good job overall (against Minnesota),” Jones said. “Like every position on the field, there are things we need to clean up for sure, and I know they’ll work to do that. But I thought overall they played pretty well.”
If they can make Jones comfortable in the pocket and open some holes for the Giants running backs, the Giants could have a chance for a much better offensive performance.
Giants wide receivers vs. Washington defensive backs
Malik Nabers, who put a scare into everyone when he reported Thursday that his knee didn’t feel right, is “good.” Coach Brian Daboll said Nabers will play Sunday, and there is “no concern” about the star rookie wide receiver.
Darius Slayton, who has been in the concussion protocol, was trending toward being cleared on Friday.
The Giants, then, should have their full complement of receiving weapons on Sunday. Which should give them an advantage over a young, struggling Washington secondary.
BBV’s Nick Falato did a great job detailing the Week 1 struggles by the Commanders’ defensive backs.
There should be advantages and opportunities throwing the ball for quarterback Daniel Jones and Co. Can the quarterback, who struggled with accuracy and pocket awareness in Week 1, take advantage? While Giants fans are on board with Jones getting the start in Week 2, that grace is not going to last long if the quarterback struggles again.
“Our focus is on trying to score points,” Daboll said earlier in the week.
The Giants scored the fewest points in the NFL in Week 1. That needs to change quickly. This week’s matchup makes it possible for that to happen.
Giants front seven vs. Jayden Daniels’ scrambling
There is a proliferation of running quarterbacks in the NFL now. The vast majority of teams have a quarterback who can make plays with their legs under pressure, and several have quarterbacks who are an integral part of their team’s designed run game.
Washington’s Daniels, though, is arguably the most electric running quarterback to come into the league since Lamar Jackson.
Daniels rushed 16 times for 88 yards in his Week 1 NFL debut, much of that after breaking contain in the pocket. The Commanders may not want him to run that often, but if he is going to try the Giants have to limit the damage.
“Explosive. He eats up grass. If he gets loose and he gets vertical, he’s eating up grass in a hurry,” said Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. “We’re going to have to be ready for everything from being able to match and cover to also being able to keep him corralled and not let him get loose on us.”
Edge defender Kyvon Thibodeaux said the athleticism of a quarterback like Daniels complicates rushing the passer.
“For an edge guy, you’re already trying to rush the tackle and then chase the quarterback. Now you’ve got a 4.3 (speed) quarterback, now you’re rushing the tackle, and you’ve got to assume or hope that he holds the ball,” Thibodeaux said. “It’s a lot of variables, but you just try to keep going and rush as much as you can.”
And one more …
Call this one a bonus matchup to watch — Washington punter Tress Way vs. New York punt returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette.
Way, Washington’s veteran left-footed punter, is known as one of the league’s better directional punters. Former Giants special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey used to talk about the ball security challenge Way posed for punt returners.
This week, that challenge belongs to Smith-Marsett, the Giants’ newly-signed punt returner.
Smith-Marsette, in his fourth NFL season, will replace the injured Gunner Olszewski as the Giants’ primary punt returner. He returned punts for the first time in his NFL career last season, averaging 8.7 yards while handling 37 returns.
“I didn’t realize how big he (Smith-Marsette) was until I saw him in person. He also has real, real speed. Like real speed,” Giants special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial said. “Obviously, he’s scored in this league before, so to see that type of production and to have him here is awesome. We’ll continue to work him and continue to make sure that he’s the best option in terms of securing the ball, which is number one priority for us.”
