The New York Giants and Washington Commanders are playing out the string of disappointing seasons as we reach NFL Week 15. Which team will win when they meet Sunday at MetLife Stadium? See how the Big Blue View staff views that, and the rest of the Week 15 games, below.
Chris Pflum
I can honestly say I don’t really know what to expect from either of these teams. We’ve seen the Giants put some of the top teams in the NFL on the ropes despite being double-digit underdogs. We’ve also seen them embarrass themselves against the Saints.
Two weeks ago, Washington took the Broncos to the brink in overtime… Only to get shut out by the Vikings the very next week.
I don’t think anyone knows which version of either team will show up this week… Or when they’ll show up, for that matter. Washington being without Jayden Daniels and Zach Ertz is a massive blow, but they still have a very good running game. The Giants, meanwhile, may be getting healthier and Jaxson Dart is going to want to finish the season with an exclamation point.
I’m going to pick the Giants here, because I think Washington will be reeling from a shut out loss in which they also lost their starting QB and second-leading receiver (Ertz). I also suspect that the Giants’ interim coaching staff’s emphasis on fundamentals and accountability will start to pay dividends this week.
Pick: Giants
Tony DelGenio
This is a difficult game to call…and really, who cares anyway? At this point there are probably as many Giants fans hoping for the team to lose out and preserve the No. 1 draft position so they can trade down for a haul of picks as there are are fans who’d like to see the home team win for a change. Making that No. 1 pick more likely is the ever-growing “Did Not Practice” list that we saw on Wednesday. What we know from Hard Knocks, though, is that foul-mouthed Mike Kafka will have none of it. There are now three empty offices, and counting, at 1925 Giants Drive, so the threat is there for more early exits on the coaching staff if they don’t motivate the players to do their best. The Commanders followed their inspiring OT loss to Denver by being embarrassed in Minnesota 31-0. They haven’t fired any coaches, but head coach Dan Quinn did demote defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.
What we also know is that Jaxson Dart wants four wins in these last four games, and that may matter more. The Giants’ offense laid an egg in New England, but the Commanders’ defense is as bad as the Giants’ defense, just in a different way – Washington’s secondary is even worse than the Giants’ if you can believe that, but their run defense is somewhat better, which is easy to believe. Jayden Daniels will be out again, and although Marcus Mariota is one of the NFL’s better backup QBs, he’s not the same threat. It comes down to which team is less motivated. I’ll forecast a 2024 Giants-Colts replay that knocks them out of the No. 1 seed for the draft: Dart feasts on the Washington secondary the way Drew Lock did to the Colts last season, and the Giants outscore the Commanders in the wind and snow in a game that will look a lot like the Eagles-Rams playoff game last season, but at a much lower level of competence.
Pick: Giants
Nick Falato
The Giants are favored! No wonder it is snowing outside. New York should be reenergized in Week 15 after their BYE week against a divisional foe that would love to turn the page on the 2025 season quickly. Washington is the only team with a longer losing streak than the Giants: Washington has lost eight in a row, the Giants have lost seven. I expect the Giants to move the football and Charlie Bullen to have some things up his sleeves for Marcus Mariota.
Pick: Giants 28, Washington 17
James Hickey
I wondered one thing last week: Would the Giants season have been any different if their bye week was earlier?
Most look at a bye week as a way to heal physically, but this team— and this organization— badly needed an break mentally before the first weekend of December for a schedule that was if not the toughest but in the top three through the first three months of the NFL season. What if the bye was after the Denver game? There is a sliding door where Brian Daboll fires Shane Bowman and the defense gets righted. Or that Daboll himself is removed and Mike Kafka is elevated during a bye week so that he can get his feet under him before having to coach a game.
None of that will mean anything on Sunday as they look across at a a divisional rival that in many ways is reeling just like the Giants. Playing at home, coming off an embarrassing loss on national television and not having to face Jayden Daniels adds up to a Big Blue win this Sunday.
Pick: Giants 28, Washington 13
David Hartman
The Giants return from their Week 14 Bye to face the Commanders at home in Week 15. They should be rested, and they have a great opportunity to snap their five-game losing streak.
It’s the first time since Big Blue played the Saints on October 5 that their opponent doesn’t have a winning record. In fact, after a gauntlet of tough opponents, the Giants’ next three games are all against teams with losing records, with two of those games at home. A little late season surge is possible, and it would do the team and its rookie QB some good to get some wins under their belts.
The 3-9 Commanders have had a lost season, after going to the NFC title game last year. They bottomed out last week, getting skunked 31-0 at Minnesota. Worse, they lost Jayden Daniels to injury for the third time this season when he re-aggravated his left elbow. Why are they playing him, again? He could play this week. Or not. Even if he plays, Washington’s defense is old, and not particularly good. Jaxson Dart and Co. should be able to put up some points.
New York has allowed 6.1 yards per carry over the last five games and that, plus special teams (which were a disaster against the Patriots) are things they really need to clean up if they want to have chances to win some of their remaining games. I think they’ll come out of the break rejuvenated, and take care of business against another bad team, in front of the home fans.
Mike Kafka gets his first win.
Pick: Giants 27, Commanders 20
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