Week 10 opens with a division game that carries a little extra weight, even by NFC East standards. The New York Giants host the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium on Thursday night, and the winner will take the season series and the head-to-head tiebreaker after the teams played to a tie in their first meeting.
The Giants enter as slight home favorites, and the market has nudged their way since the opening number. New York opened at 1.5 points, then moved up another point after John Harbaugh said both J.J.
McCarthy and Cam Skattebo are tracking toward playing. The total sits at 41.5, a low number considering these teams combined for 54 points in their earlier tie.
New York is trying to stretch its lead in the division while dealing with Jaxson Dart being out for the regular season. Even so, the Giants have found enough stability to keep rolling, with J.J.
McCarthy and Jameis Winston doing enough for John Harbaugh’s team. The offense also appears set to get Skattebo back after he missed Week 9.
Washington, meanwhile, comes in at 2-5-1 and still has a path to making the division race interesting, even if the start has been rough. The Commanders have flashed a high ceiling with Jayden Daniels at quarterback, but too many disappointing performances have left them in a hole. If Dan Quinn wants to keep his job, Washington needs to start stacking wins soon, especially with the division still there for the taking.
SI Betting’s Iain MacMillan is backing New York to handle business at home. He pointed to the Giants’ spot in the schedule, their improved play with McCarthy, and Washington’s overall struggles.
“I may have included the New York Giants in last week's edition of my Fraud Rankings, but my biggest issue with them has been their strength of schedule. Will I be betting on them when they take on teams like the Jaguars and 49ers in the coming weeks? Likely not, but they once again have a game against a bad team on Thursday Night Football when they face the Washington Commanders, and much like the majority of the season, I expect them to take care of business against an inferior opponent.”
He also noted that the rematch looks different from the first meeting, especially with the Giants at home and McCarthy under center.
“These two teams played to a tie in Week 5 earlier this season, but with it being a road game for the Giants and the fact that they had Jameis Winston at quarterback, I think we can admit they're in a better spot in the rematch. J.J.
McCarthy has been surprisingly solid to begin his tenure with the Giants, ranking fifth in the NFL in completion percentage over expected (+5.3%) amongst quarterbacks who have played 60+ snaps this season. It's also no coincidence that over the last three weeks, the Giants have led the league in net yards per play at +1.5.”
MacMillan’s case also leans on the broader profile of both teams. He described Washington as “a poorly coached team that doesn't thrive in any area,” and said the Giants have been strong enough on both sides of the ball to justify the favorite tag.
New York enters ranked No. 10 in EPA/Play on defense and No. 15 in EPA/Play on offense, and the Giants have covered in six of eight games. Harbaugh’s team may not look like a Super Bowl contender because of its shaky quarterback situation, but it has been positioned well to make the playoffs.
Daniels has played well this season, but Washington’s offense sits in the bottom 12 in several key metrics, and the defense ranks No. 19 in EPA/Play. At home, the pick is the Giants to keep their winning ways going and try to strengthen their grip on the top spot in the NFC East.
In Other News...
Malik Nabers Controversy Grew Fast After Tough Night In Washington
Malik Nabers rough night in Washington turned into a bigger talking point almost as soon as the game ended, with FOX announcers Joe Davis and Greg Olsen calling attention to his body language after a costly fumble and a missed catch against the Commanders. The sequence of plays put him under a brighter spotlight than usual, and the reaction around the broadcast booth only added to the scrutiny.
Nabers initially skipped his postgame media availability, which only fueled the questions around his evening. He later explained that he had left because of a family emergency, and he also addressed the defensive play that broke up the catch, offering a fuller explanation in a media session after the game. [Read more 🡒]
Sonny Styles Just Gave Commanders Fans A Reason To Get Excited
Rookie linebacker Sonny Styles gave the Commanders a little extra juice in Thursday nights win over the Giants, turning in one of the most active outings of the game. He finished with 13 tackles and a tackle for loss, showing up all over the field as Washington leaned on its defense to close out a divisional matchup.
Styles also delivered one of the biggest snaps of the night late in the fourth quarter, dropping Giants quarterback JJ McCarthy for a two-yard loss on third-and-7 to help force a stop. Afterward, he said he had anticipated the play based on similar situations he had seen before, a sign that the rookie is already starting to process the game at a faster level than many first-year defenders. [Read more 🡒]
Malik Nabers Took Heat After Commanders Win For More Than One Mistake
Malik Nabers had a rough afternoon against the Commanders, and the fallout went well beyond the box score. He put the ball on the ground in the third quarter, then later watched a pass of his get picked off at a critical moment, two mistakes that helped define a game Washington had every reason to feel good about after the final whistle.
Nabers also drew attention afterward for a different reason, because he did not show up for his usual media availability following the game. Reporters noted the absence and some fans were quick to criticize it, even as his season has still been productive overall with 58 catches, 692 yards and two touchdowns. For a player carrying that kind of workload, the questions now are about how he responds after a stretch that has suddenly put him under a brighter spotlight. [Read more 🡒]