Can Giants Exploit Commanders' Defensive Struggles?

Washington Commanders On SI editor David Harrison provides insight into how the Commanders have evolved since their Week 2 meeting with the New York Giants.

Oct 13, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Washington Commanders On SI lead reporter and Locked On Commanders host David Harrison offers some answers about the Commanders, the New York Giants' Week 9 opponent, and how they have changed since the two teams met in Week 2.

1. How different is this Giants team from the one we saw in Week 2?

Well, for starters, they now have a healthy kicker, at least as of now as I write this. But seriously, the offensive line has lost left tackle Andrew Thomas. That is huge because the swing tackle plan that they worked on all spring and summer (Joshua Ezeudu) hasn’t quite worked out, leaving them to explore other options. (They now have Chris Hubbard, who played less than 200 snaps at left tackle in his NFL career, in that role.

Another big positive difference is that the Giants got their pass rush going. Dexter Lawrence is having a Defensive Player of the Year type of season – whether he gets it being on a losing team and all remains to be seen, but he deserves it, having accomplished what he has despite being doubled- and tripled-teamed the majority of the time. 

2. Malik Nabers had a pretty good game against Washington last time, how has his role increased - or how has the team learned to use him more effectively?

No question that Nabers is a favorite target in the passing game. And he’s been drawing more attention from opponents. But a slight concern in his game has been dropped balls. He had two against the Steelers, one of which I believe came on third down. 

He has five drops now in 71 pass targets, second most on the team behind Darius Slayton (4). Nabers is still learning to sharpen up his routes, but he’s one of the last players on this team I think I’d be worried about getting better and being a staple in this offense for years to come.

3. The presumed absence of Tyrone Tracy Jr. is expected to be big from this side, is that accurate?

I would say so. Tracy is their leading rusher, having passed Devin Singletary on the depth chart (unofficially, that is). Then again, Daboll, now the play-caller for this team, generally doesn’t stick with the run, so maybe it won’t be as big of a deal this week regarding the overall game plan. 

But there is no doubt that Tracy, a fifth-round draft pick, has been a steal. His background as a receiver has really served him well this year in terms of vision, the ability to juke, and so forth. He’s a really nice find for this offense that I think, in time, could ease the sting of Saquon Barkley’s departure.

4. With the struggles experienced by CB Deonte Banks and QB Daniel Jones do you agree with coach Daboll continuing to start the two?

With Banks, I felt that Daboll should have benched him at the start of the Steelers game. I mean, how many chances will you continue to give the guy? That said I hope he’s finally learned that you can’t half-bake it, and you can’t freelance out there (if he was indeed freelancing).

As for Jones, I think it’s crystal clear that this team will be moving on from him after this year, so why they continue to put that injury guarantee in his contract next spring is a mystery to me. Daboll says Jones gives them the best chance to win, but at this point, the season is pretty much lost, and I think you have to start thinking long-term. 

That said, I understand why Daboll is sticking with Jones. If you pull him after saying he gives you your best chance to win, you’re sending the wrong message to the locker room that you are throwing in the towel. It’s a sticky situation, and it all comes back to what I was screaming about in the spring leading up to the draft: that the Giants should have taken a chance on a new quarterback from this year’s class and started to get him ready. 

If you go the draft route next year, now you probably have to start the season with a bridge guy until the rookie is ready. And you’re going to have to let the rookie cut his teeth. All of that could have been avoided had they rolled the dice on someone this year, but it is what it is. Joe Schoen tried to move up and was rejected in his attempts, so they’ll likely finish out the year with Jones (assuming he can win one of his next two games before the bye) and then move on after the season.

5. What would it mean to the Giants organization to get swept by the new-look Commanders after having their number for most of recent memory?

Any loss, no matter to whom it might be, is a tough pill to swallow–and it doesn’t matter if it’s Giants-Commanders, Giants-Cowboys, or Giants-Ordinary Joes. When it comes to losses in the division, though, those count as a loss and a half in the final standings, so yeah, being swept by the Commanders would definitely hurt a lot more.

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