Commanders Lead Giants 21-7 at Halftime of Week 9

Our halftime look-in at the Washington Commanders' Week 9 matchup against the New York Giants.

Nov 3, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) after a 1st quarter towchdown reception from quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

East Rutherford, N.J. -- The Washington Commanders are in New Jersey taking on the New York Giants and are in search of their second NFC East Divisional win along with their seventh overall this season.

The Commanders and Giants exchanged quick three-and-out possessions to start the game before the action started to pick up.

On the second possession of the game for New York, the team came out with running on its mind and did so effectively. After three straight explosive runs got them down to the Washington 29, the Giants called their first pass play of the drive after five on the ground and it cost them dearly.

Nov 3, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) after a 1st quarter towchdown reception from quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Coming off the defense's right side, Commanders' edge defender Dante Fowler Jr. knocked the ball out of New York quarterback Daniel Jones' hand for a strip-sack fumble, and the ball - after some bounces and dramatics - was recovered by linebacker Bobby Wagner all the way back at the home team's 31-yard line.

Three plays later, quarterback Jayden Daniels connected on a one-yard slant to Washington receiver Terry McLaurin to get the scoring started, giving the visiting good guys a 7-0 lead after kicker Austin Seibert's extra point sailed true.

The Giants' third drive of the game started much like the second with nine runs in the first 10 plays of the possession. Unfortunately, as you might have guessed in the line there, the drive included three third-down conversions through those 10 plays. In total, the first scoring drive for New York ran through 16 plays, 13 of them rushes, and ate up nearly 10 minutes of the clock. The final play was a two-yard touchdown pass from Jones to tight end Chris Manhertz to get it tied up at 7.

It was Jones' first home touchdown pass since January 1, 2023.

Needing to give their defense some time to rest and regroup the Commanders' offense came out in a tie game for their third drive of the game. Fortunately, the Washington offense has shown the ability to be a bit more balanced, and eight runs and three passes later running back Austin Ekeler capped off the third drive of the game with another red zone touchdown.

That score, and the extra point, gave the Commanders a 14-7 lead with 6:21 left in the first half. The scoring drive included the first explosive play of the day for Washington and a fourth and one conversion at the New York 12-yard line.

A second three-and-out forced by the Commanders defense gave their offense back the ball with plenty of time to try and fully grasp control of the game with a late-half score in anticipation of receiving the ball to start the second half.

Aiding in that effort was another fourth down conversion, this time on a one-yard run by Ekeler at the NYG35, that gave Washington a new set of downs at the 34 with close to a minute left in the half. Head coach Dan Quinn also had all three of his timeouts in his back pocket if he needed them.

Quinn used one of them with 40 seconds remaining and his offense facing a 2nd and 20 at the New York 44 after a holding penalty erased a solid run by Daniels.

He used his second of the half with 20 seconds left after a short gain made it 3rd and 18 from the Giants' 42 yard line.

The third timeout was used after a big catch and run by receiver Dyami Brown took the ball down to the New York 18 with 11 seconds left. The 24-yard play not only set up the first down but Daniels' second touchdown pass to McLaurin coming from 18 yards out.

It was a masterful display of time and timeout management, a beautiful pass from Daniels, and a 21-7 lead for the Commanders entering the locker room.

Washington will also get the ball back to start the second half.

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