One of the best matchups of Week 13 is an old-school NFC East battle between the Washington Commanders [7-5] and New York Giants [7-4]. For the first time in seemingly forever, both teams are playing meaningful games in December against one another. That’s not only good news for the fans of both teams but for the NFL.
Sunday’s battle has major playoff implications for both teams. The Giants currently occupy the No. 6 spot in the NFC playoffs, while the Commanders hold the No. 7 and final wild-card position.
In preparation for Sunday’s battle, we caught up with Giants Wire managing editor Dan Benton to gain some intel on the 2022 New York Giants.
Give us your assessment of Daniel Jones this season. Jones has always played well against Washington, but this looks like it’s his best season overall.
Dan Benton: With the exception of a hiccup against Detroit, Daniel Jones has played a highly accurate, mistake-free style of football this season. That’s been a necessity given the team’s lacking and inconsistent wide receivers, which has unfortunately taken away from his deep-play ability. Still, Jones has made the most out of what he has and has all but eliminated his turnover issues. He’s also seen his own number called far more frequently as a rusher which, again, may be a strength but is due to the lacking roster around him (with the exception of Saquon Barkley). For some (present company included), Jones turning the page isn’t much of a surprise. The talent has always been there, but the coaching hasn’t. Just look at Mac Jones’ regression in New England — cough, Joe Judge, cough.
What’s the future for Jones and Saquon Barkley in New York?
DB: I think that will become much more clear over the final stretch. I think if those decisions had to be made right now, the Giants would slap Saquon Barkley with the franchise tag and offer Daniel Jones a modest contract extension. I see some suggesting he may get upwards of $21 to $25 million per year, but I’m not sold on that number being so high. Still, given the way he’s played and the large number of teams in need of a quarterback next season, his market may be more robust than many ever anticipated. Ultimately, he’s done himself a real favor by playing the Giants out of a top-10 pick in the 2023 NFL draft because that takes them out of range for a top rookie when, at the same time, the free agent class isn’t anything worth writing home about. In the end, I think they both remain in East Rutherford.
The Giants have had some recent injuries on the offensive line but are looking healthier for Week 13. How good is a healthy New York offensive line?
DB: Andrew Thomas is an All-Pro, and the rest of the group is average. Luckily for the Giants, that’s still a significant improvement from everything we’ve seen over the past decade. Getting Jon Feliciano, Nick Gates and Evan Neal back are all huge upgrades and should help fix the run blocking that has been a thorn in Saquon’s side the past several weeks. Pass protection will remain a concern, however.
How do you see the Giants’ O-Line matching up vs. Washington’s D-Line?
DB: With all due respect to Washington’s front 7, the Giants have withstood far worse this season going up against the Cowboys’ front 7 twice. That sort of makes me feel dirty to say, but while the Giants lost both of those games, they managed to tie or take a second-half lead in each. They’re capable of withstanding the pressure but can’t find themselves in a shootout. They’re not built for that, and that’s a scenario in which the Washington D-line would have a tremendous advantage. But if the game is close, Mike Kafka will find ways to scheme around the Commanders’ strength.
Tell us about New York’s defense. How good is this unit? Do you believe the Commanders will have success running the football?
DB: It’s an extremely inconsistent unit that is bogged down by a lack of depth and very weak inside linebackers. They’ve struggled against the run all season, and there’s no reason to believe that will change on Sunday. If Landon Collins is elevated from the practice squad, that should help a little, but it’s still an issue. When Dexter Lawrence and/or Leonard Williams need a breather, Justin Ellis is an easy target — especially with Jaylon Smith and Tae Crowder behind them and no Xavier McKinney in the secondary.
Prediction
DB: I think this will be a typical Giants game. It’s going to be close and competitive throughout with swings of momentum in each direction until late in the fourth quarter. Having 10 days to prepare for Washington will give the Giants a slight edge (they’ll be on the opposite end of that advantage next time) and the added health will be a big boost. I can’t discount the newfound homefield advantage, either. Giants fans have MetLife absolutely rocking this year.
Giants 22, Commanders 18
