The oldest rivalry in the NFC East will be renewed on Sunday Night Football as the Washington Commanders host the New York Giants at FedEx Field in the US capital.
It will be the second meeting between the two this season, with the last one ending in a 20-20 tie two weeks ago, and both teams are currently clinging to the final playoff spot in the NFC with identical 7-5-1 records.
Match preview
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Two weeks after an even game in virtually every statistical category, including the final score, Ron Rivera and the Commanders have an opportunity to stretch their unbeaten run to five games this week.
That would be the longest streak without a defeat for Washington since 2012, when they won seven in a row and advanced to the NFC Wildcard Round.
Washington have the fourth-best defence in the NFL, allowing just 310.5 yards per game, creating at least one turnover in eight consecutive games.
They have not conceded over 20 points in their last three contests, though the Commanders have only scored more than that in two home games this season.
On the opposite side of the ball, they have done just enough to get by, though nothing spectacular, throwing for under 200 yards in four of their last five outings.
The Commanders are winless against teams within their division this season and have not beaten anyone from the NFC East at FedEx Field since edging the Giants 30-29 in September 2021.
Their schedule down the stretch of the regular season will not be easy, as three of their final four games will be against teams with winning records.
Two of those opponents have already accumulated double-digits in wins this year, the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers.
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As Washington have climbed back into a playoff position, Brian Daboll's Giants have dug themselves down the NFC standings after an impressive start to the campaign.
Heading into this contest, the Giants are winless against NFC East clubs since January 2020, when they edged the Dallas Cowboys 23-19.
From the get-go last Sunday, New York looked flat, allowing 400 plus yards for a third successive outing while only converting on four of their 13 third downs.
Offensively the Giants have run for over 100 yards in their last two encounters, although it took six different ball carriers to go over that mark last week at home to the Philadelphia Eagles.
It has taken them a long time to find their footing in recent encounters, putting up a mere three points combined in the opening quarter of their last three games.
At the same time, the Giants have not been able to outscore their last three opponents in the final quarter of those fixtures.
That could explain, in part, why this team have sputtered down the stretch of the season, with their playoff chances seemingly decreasing as the weeks have gone by.
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Team News
Commanders QB Taylor Heinicke has thrown for a pair of scores in back-to-back games, finding Jahan Dotson and Terry McLaurin for touchdowns against the Giants, while Brian Robinson had 21 carries for 96 yards.
Daron Payne had a pair of sacks on that occasion, Kamren Curl made nine tackles, while Jamin Davis and Jonathan Allen combined to make 14.
Trai Turner could be a game-time decision with a sore knee, while Montez Sweat and James Smith-Williams have concussions.
Dax Milne has a problem with his foot, Benjamin St-Juste is recovering from an ankle sprain and Andrew Norwell saw limited time at practice because of a shoulder injury.
Giants running back Saquon Barkley has averaged under 3.6 yards per carry in his last four games but is still fourth in the NFL regarding rushing with 1,083 on the season, Daniel Jones has thrown for 200 yards or fewer in two consecutive games, while Tyrod Taylor went 5/5 for 47 yards and a touchdown in their 48-22 loss to the Eagles last weekend.
In their previous outing against Washington, Barkley ran for a score, Isaiah Hodgins had a TD catch, Julian Love made an incredible 11 tackles, while Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence each had a sack.
Leonard Williams was limited at practice this week because of a neck strain, and Richie James could have to sit out due to concussion protocol.
Daniel Bellinger has some sore ribs, and Adoree Jackson is unlikely to feature, having sustained a knee injury earlier this year.
Head To Head
New York have the overall edge in the season series with a 105-71-5 record, but the Commanders are unbeaten in the last three meetings between the two, though Graham Gano had a chance to give the Giants the victory two weeks ago but missed a 58-yard field goal in overtime.
There have been many close contests through the years between these clubs, including in 2021 when Dustin Hopkins booted three field goals.
In that game, JD McKissic ran for a two-yard touchdown, and Ricky Seals-Jones caught a fourth-quarter TD from Heinicke, helping Washington come away with a 30-29 victory.
The last win for the Giants against their NFC East rivals occurred in Week Nine of the 2020 campaign when Evan Engram caught a 16-yard TD pass from Jones, and Wayne Gallman ran for a two-yard score in the opening quarter, helping the G-men triumph 23-20.
We say: Washington Commanders 21-19 New York Giants
We expect another even game on Sunday, given what each team still have to play for, but the Commanders have not made as many mistakes offensively in the passing game as New York.
Lately, the Giants' offensive line has not been able to open up the running lanes for Barkley, and they are having a difficult time protecting their quarterback as well, so it could be another long day on the field for their defensive unit.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
