Week 10 is underway, and the NFL season is now past its midpoint. The trade deadline has passed, though bye weeks are still on the schedule and the playoff race is beginning to take shape. It’s an exciting stretch of the year, even if it’s a little hard to believe the season is already heading toward its final weeks. Tonight, the Commanders meet the Giants in an NFC East matchup.
Washington enters at 2-5-1 and has yet to win on the road. The season has been a frustrating one. The Commanders showed some promise early, but came up short against Philadelphia, then gave up 37 points in a loss to Dallas. They bounced back at home against Seattle, winning with Marcus Mariota at quarterback, before losing overseas to Indianapolis in a game where their third-string quarterback took most of the snaps.
Jayden Daniels returned for Washington’s first meeting with the Giants, but poor clock management helped turn the game into a tie. The Commanders then lost a close one to San Francisco, beat an injury-hit Eagles team after their bye, and fell to the Rams last week, 20-13. That loss was at least a competitive effort.
New York, at 5-2-1, is currently leading a division that looks within reach. If the Giants can keep Dallas behind them, they may be in a strong position to hold on to first place. Their biggest concern is the unsettled quarterback situation. Jaxon Dart was injured earlier in the season, Jameis Winston has been entertaining but inconsistent, and JJ McCarthy has also seen playing time. McCarthy attempted 19 passes last week, while Winston threw eight. I could see coach John Harbaugh sticking with whichever quarterback seems to have the better feel for the game, much as the team has managed its running backs.
Washington may be eager to make up for the tie in the teams’ first meeting, but I’m not convinced that will be enough. Daniels is the best quarterback in this matchup, yet the Commanders have not consistently had the support around him to turn that into wins. I expect New York to be better prepared and to execute more effectively. I’ll take the Giants to cover the two-point spread.
