First, the good news for the Washington Commanders: Everything is breaking right for the team heading into a crucial divisional game on Sunday afternoon in New York.
Cornerback Kendall Fuller, who missed practice earlier this week, is set to play, as is every other player on the team’s active roster.
The New York Giants, meanwhile, are dealing with a rash of injuries. The team is down to its third-string left tackle, and a starting guard, Shane Lemieux, tore his biceps during practice Wednesday. Quarterback Daniel Jones is also unlikely to play as he works his way back from a neck injury, leaving backup Tyrod Taylor, a former Virginia Tech star, to start.
That all sets up well for the 3-3 Commanders, who can launch themselves firmly into the early playoff picture with a victory.
Now, the bad news: The Giants have had the team’s number in recent years.
Washington has won only two of the last nine meetings between the teams, with the Giants defense largely holding the Commanders offense in check over that time.
So there seems to be little reason for coach Ron Rivera to expect complacency to set in, something he emphasized after Friday’s practice in Ashburn.
“Divisional games bring a little something extra,” Rivera told reporters, adding that the Giants are “professionals” who aren’t going to concede the victory.
The game is an opportunity for the defensive front four to boost their stats after an uneven start to the year. Rivera gave a long pause earlier this week when asked about pass rusher Chase Young, before offering an endorsement that gained warmth as it progressed.
“He’s done exactly what we’ve asked,” Rivera said. “He really has. He’s done some good things. He’s very dynamic. He’s got some explosion to his game. I mean, he’s doing a great job.”
It’s on offense where Washington is looking to improve, after struggling to put the game away late against the Atlanta Falcons last week.
Coordinator Eric Bieniemy knows that the Giants‘ tendency to blitz and pressure the quarterback will make it essential to keep quarterback Sam Howell upright and to ensure the young passer doesn’t make game-altering mistakes. At 1-5, the Giants would seem to have little to lose and everything to gain by pressuring Howell.
Bieniemy noted the Giants had success on defense last week against Buffalo, one of the league’s best offenses.
“Obviously, it didn’t end the right way, but I’ll tell you what, this is the league. Obviously, you’ve got to make sure that regardless of what their record is, we have to make sure that our attitude and mindset is in the right place,” he said. “We’re not here to play down to a record. We are here to play an NFL team that’s pretty good. They’ve had some unfortunate luck, but our job is to make sure that we’re taking care of business.”
Sunday’s game will be broadcast on CBS, instead of the usual Fox broadcast, and will kick off at 1 p.m. The network switch accommodates Fox broadcasting the Baltimore Ravens in the early window.
