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(This story has been updated)
After a miraculous finish against Chicago last week, skeptics said the Washington Commanders were ripe for a letdown.
The 2-6 New York Giants have historically been the team that inexplicably plays its best when opposed by burgundy and gold uniforms.
Washington’s week 2, 21-18 win was more of an escape by the Commanders than a win.
Sunday’s win in the Meadowlands was clinical, efficient, and surgical—the final score was Commanders 27, Giants 22.
“I thought the guys did a good job of filling the tanks back up, we acknowledged that this was a historic win for us – last week I’m talking about at home, in the fashion it went,” head coach Dan Quinn said in his post-game press conference. “How do you recognize it but then also fill the tanks back up knowing you’re heading back into a division game. I thought it showed a lot of maturity from the team and poise to say okay that was cool, now we’ve got to get right back into the next process and they did a good job of that,” he said.
After throwing a season-high 38 passes last week against Chicago, Jayden Daniels needed only to complete 15 of 22 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns, for a quarterback rating of 128.8. Daniels also added 35 yards of rushing although only one run was a designed play.
“If you want to win your division, you have to win those games,” Daniels said. “So, division opponents mean more than somebody that’s not in our division. So, that’s something that we set out to do. And we’re 2-0, we got a couple more to go.”
As strong as the game was for both sides of the ball (and special teams), two groups stood out.
The offensive line, considered one of the weakest units in the preseason, blocked well enough for the offense to rush for 149 yards despite Brian Robinson Jr. being deactivated shortly before kickoff. The pass protection was also exceptional as Daniels was not sacked. He said he learned a lot from the first game against New York but was quick to give most of the credit to the offensive line.
“Knowing where to go with the ball and getting the ball out, helps out a lot. But, tremendous job by the offensive line of using their fundamentals and giving me enough time to get the ball off.”
Washington took the lead in the first quarter and never looked back. Donte Fowler forced a sack and fumble of Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, the ball was recovered by Bobby Wagner on the Giants 31-yard line. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass but was overturned by replay officials.
Daniels completed a four-play drive with a one-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin.
Jones tied the game early in the second quarter with a touchdown pass to Chris Manhertz but Daniels responded almost immediately to put the Commanders in front for good.
Daniels led the offense on a 12-play, 87-yard drive that ended with an Austin Eckler one-yard touchdown run to make the score 14-7.
Washington was playing for a field goal at the end of the first half but Dyami Brown but on third down and 18 form the Giants 42, Dyami Brown got loose on a short completion from Daniels and ran to the New York 18 yard line.
Washington took a time out with 11 seconds left before halftime and Daniels found McLaurin ( 2 catches, 19 yards, 2 TD’s) on a touchdown pass to mae the score 21-7.
“I’m just glad we’re winning, man. I’m just glad that we’re winning, honestly,” McLaurin said. “I know I’m going to be a big part of this offense week in, week out. So, the stress that I may have had in the past doesn’t really weigh on me as much. I just try to be ready for my moments, be a good leader out there and really just cheer on my other teammates as well.”
The only threat to the Commanders otherwise dominant day came with 2:57 left in the game. Trailing 27-16 after a Jones touchdown run, the Giants QB found rookie tight end Theo Johnson on a 35 yard pass up the seam for a score to cut the lead to 27-22 (New York missed its second straight two-point conversion).
Giants head coach Brian Daboll elected to kickoff, hoping to force a stop and get the ball back for a potential game-winning touchdown. Instead, Washington ran out the clock. Daniels connected with wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus on a 42 pass deep into Giants territory. Running back Chris Rodriquez (11 carries, 52 yards) ran the clock out with Daniels kneeling in the victory formation three times to end the game.
The win improves the Commanders record to 7-2. They will spend yet another week atop the NFC East. Next week, the Pittsburgh Steelers visit Northwest Stadium.
At the beginning of the season, most observers saw this as an easy road win for the Steelers. As improbable as it sounds, it is now a match-up of not one but two teams that think they have the potential for a deep postseason run.
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