For the second season in a row, the Giants began the year with a blowout loss at home. On Sunday, they’ll be eager to get back to winning ways as they seek to avoid the same kind of start that saw them lose five of their first six and eight of their first 10 games in 2023.
Here are the biggest stories to watch as the Giants look to turn things around…
Can Daniel Jones bounce back… and how long will his leash be if he can’t?
Jones had a nightmare start to the season, highlighted by his pick-six to Andrew Van Ginkel in the second half of the loss to the Vikings. Just one week into the season, people are already asking if he’s going to lose his job, and we all know how impatient fans can be.
It probably helps Jones that this week’s game is on the road. The home fans were booing the offense regularly last week, which doesn’t exactly make it easy for Jones to rebuild his confidence in his return from a serious injury.
With Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito waiting in the wings, Jones isn’t going to get too many second chances, so he needs to play better than he did last week at the minimum. As long as he can keep improving as he works his way back into the swing of things, he has an opportunity to hold onto the role, but he can’t really afford any more bumps in the road.
How will Jayden Daniels fare in his first NFC East matchup?
If Daniels proves to be the real deal, this will be the first of many occasions where he gets a chance to face off against the Giants. So far, he’s been looking pretty solid for the Commanders.
Of the three rookie passers who saw action in Week 1, Daniels posted the best numbers as he completed 17 of 24 passes for 184 yards and also rushed for two scores. In addition, Daniels didn’t turn the ball over, although he did fumble three times.
New York will look to put Daniels under pressure but must be wary of his ability to escape the pocket and make plays with his legs.
Can the Commanders’ pass defense be exploited?
Baker Mayfield fell just short of passing for 300 yards in Week 1 against Washington, as the Bucs scored 37 points and only needed to punt once. Mayfield had eight completions of over 15 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter to effectively end the Commanders’ hopes of winning.
Washington, whose secondary also looked overmatched during joint practices with the Jets in the preseason, had four different players who gave up over 50 yards in coverage. This included Benjamin St-Juste, who was beaten for two touchdowns. Plus, fellow corner Emmanuel Forbes is out for a bit with a torn UCL in his thumb. On paper, this could be a breakout game for rookie wideout Malik Nabers.
Will Isaiah Simmons be involved this week?
Simmons was a frustrated figure in the locker room this week after not seeing any defensive snaps in Sunday’s game.
Simmons has always been a player whose most suitable NFL role has been up for debate, dating back to when he was a draft prospect. However, he’s a versatile player who can do a lot of things, so it’s disappointing that the Giants can’t figure out a way for him to contribute.
One idea might be to give him some situational pass rush reps. That could freshen up a unit that was underwhelming against Minnesota, especially if Simmons uses the chip on his shoulder to fuel his effort.
Can New York force turnovers like the last time they were in Washington?
Perhaps the lone bright spot last season for the Giants was that they were tied for the lead in the NFL for defensive turnovers with 31. They forced multiple turnovers in 10 of their 17 games, including a season-high six in a win over the Commanders in Washington in November.
In their opener, this was again one rare bright spot for the Giants as they forced two turnovers — a Bobby Okereke fumble recovery and a Darius Muasau interception. The importance of forcing turnovers is underlined by the fact the New York lost five out of the six games where they failed to force any in 2023, so they need to remain opportunistic.
