Commanders Week 1: Winners and Losers from Victory Over Giants

Washington started its second season under head coach Dan Quinn with a dominant 21–6 win over the New York Giants on Sunday. It wasn’t spotless, but the Commanders left FedEx Field with an important division victory to kick off 2025.

Here are some winners and losers from Sunday’s season-opening victory:

Winners

Jayden Daniels
The second-year quarterback looked composed and in control of the offense, picking up right where he left off from last season. Daniels wasn’t perfect, by any stretch of the imagination. A few overthrows cost Washington chances to put the game out of reach much earlier. But he still ended the afternoon with 233 passing yards and a touchdown while adding 68 rushing yards. His quick reads and willingness to take off when the pocket broke down had the New York Giants running for their lives all afternoon. Washington has itself a star under center, and even when on an off day, he was good enough to propel the Commanders to a win.

Deebo Samuel
The offseason narrative around Samuel was rather confusing for most people in the know with this team. Social media spent a large portion of June and July calling the former 49er out of shape or slow. Former NFL great Terrell Owens went as far as to call him “fat”. While most of us brushed off any suggestion that this was remotely true, he responded with a performance that did most of the speaking for him.

Samuel caught six passes for 77 yards and added a 19-yard rushing touchdown, proving he’s still one of the league’s most versatile weapons. His ability to line up in multiple spots stretched the Giants’ defense thin, and he consistently produced after the catch. Samuel gave Washington’s offense the explosive edge it needed, reminding everyone he can still take over a game. If he can remain healthy this year, Deebo Samuel will be Jayden Daniels’ most explosive weapon on offense.

Losers

Penalties
Washington’s most glaring flaw was self-inflicted. The Commanders committed 12 penalties for 89 yards, a total that repeatedly stalled momentum. Marshon Lattimore drew a boneheaded flag for a WWE wrestling takedown while the Giants’ offense was marching, Bobby Wagner wiped out a defensive stand with a late hit on the quarterback, and Noah Brown negated his own big play by lining up offside. Winning teams don’t hand over nearly a full field of yardage in free gains — something Quinn will have to address immediately in hopes that the Week 1 jitters are now out of the system.

Clock Management
The Commanders also struggled to handle end-of-half situations. Late in the second quarter, poor sequencing left them without a chance to attempt a field goal after an intentional grounding resulted in a 10-second runoff, sending both teams to the locker room. By the fourth quarter, Washington had burned through all of its timeouts with eight minutes still remaining. These issues didn’t swing the outcome against New York, but tighter opponents will take advantage. For a team with playoff ambitions, situational sharpness has to improve.

Looking Ahead

Washington’s defense held the Giants out of the end zone, while the offense piled up 432 total yards. That balance — plus contributions from stars like Daniels and Samuel — gave the Commanders a strong foundation to build on. But discipline and operational efficiency will be all the more critical heading into Thursday night’s matchup with the Green Bay Packers, a quick turnaround that will test just how ready Quinn’s team is to compete against stronger competition.