The Giants got an early jolt from Dennard Wilson in Week 1, and the Commanders helped underline why that matters a week later.
New York opened with a 28-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys, a game that had plenty of bully-ball flavor to it. The Giants controlled the ball for nearly 37 minutes, and the final score barely captured how thoroughly they dictated things. The defense did its part too, even if it didn’t get the loudest headlines.
That unit, with Wilson now calling the shots, went into the season with questions on the back end. Instead, the Giants’ secondary held up against CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, allowing just 72 yards and a touchdown on eight catches across 14 targets. Dak Prescott was kept to 175 passing yards and was picked off by Jevon Holland in the first half.
Then came Week 2, and the Cowboys made the Giants’ defensive performance look even more impressive.
Dallas hosted Washington in a matchup of winless NFC East teams, and it quickly became clear the Cowboys were the far better side - even before Jayden Daniels left with an elbow injury. Lamb, quieted to under 50 yards the week before, erupted for eight catches on nine targets, 153 yards and two touchdowns. Only one of those receptions went for fewer than 10 yards.
Jake Ferguson joined in as well, catching four passes for 43 yards and two touchdowns. By the end of it, Washington had given up 279 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 26 catches from 31 targets. Prescott also broke Dallas’ all-time passing touchdowns record.
That kind of collapse from the Commanders’ secondary only sharpened the contrast with what the Giants showed in Week 1. New York’s defensive backfield has room to grow, but it’s nowhere near as soft as what Washington put on display.
The Giants may still have a tough road ahead in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams, a team many have pegged as a Super Bowl favorite. And the injury picture on New York’s side is not clean.
Paulson Adebo is on injured reserve with a knee issue and will miss at least the next four games. Greg Newsome was limited earlier in the week because of a rib injury before returning to full practice on Saturday.
Deonte Banks is listed as questionable with a calf injury.
Even so, the Giants might have caught a break. They already won’t have to deal with Rams defensive lineman Myles Garrett because of a knee injury, and ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter reported Sunday that Rams receiver Puka Nacua is trending in "the wrong direction" after a hip injury.
For now, Wilson’s defense has done enough to make an early statement. It already looks a lot sturdier than the unit Shane Bowen ran over the past two seasons, and the Commanders’ rough showing against Dallas only made that clearer.
In Other News...
Rams Hit With Another Frustrating Issue Ahead Of Giants Game
The Rams opened the season with a loss to the 49ers, and the aftermath brought another layer of frustration for a team trying to steady itself before facing the Giants. The NFL levied fines against two Los Angeles players, with Tyler Davis docked $6,225 for a hit on Brock Purdy that involved contact to the head and neck area, while Nate Landman was fined $11,111 for unnecessary roughness tied to helmet use.
For a Rams team already dealing with the sting of a division defeat, the discipline is another unwelcome footnote as the week turns toward New York. The fines will go to the Professional Athletes Foundation and the NFL Foundation, but the larger issue for Los Angeles is keeping its edge without crossing the line, especially with another important game on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Burns Just Became A Much Bigger Giants Money Question
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Burns is signed through 2028, but the structure now gives the Giants another decision point: keep absorbing those future charges, or try to extend him again and smooth everything out before it gets tighter. It is part of a larger financial picture that already includes major upcoming considerations for Andrew Thomas and Kayvon Thibodeaux, which is why Burns has gone from high-end pass rusher to a much bigger roster-planning question. [Read more 🡒]
Giants-Rams Betting Twist Could Change Monday Night Touchdown Picks
Puka Nacuas groin injury is giving Monday nights matchup a different look before the Giants ever take the field. The Rams receiver is reportedly trending in the wrong direction, and that matters for a game that already had plenty of attention because of the betting market around anytime touchdown scorers.
If Nacua is out, the ripple effect reaches beyond Los Angeles and into how this game is being viewed from a Giants perspective. The player pool opens up in different directions, with Isaiah Likely, Davante Adams and Jaxson Dart all drawing consideration, while some options still come with the usual cautions around workload splits and defensive matchups. [Read more 🡒]