The good, bad and ugly in Commanders win vs. Giants

The Washington Commanders took care of business in Week 15 with a 29-21 win over the New York Giants.

It was not a clean performance, but Washington did enough in key moments to leave MetLife Stadium with a divisional victory. Even with mistakes and injuries piling up, the Commanders found contributions from young players and timely defensive stops.

Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly from Washington in their Week 15 win.

The Good

Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Croskey-Merritt continued to emerge as one of the bright spots of the season. The rookie running back rushed for a team leading 96 yards and a touchdown, consistently finding space and running with authority. His production helped Washington rack up 107 rushing yards in the first half, their most in a half since Week 3.

Croskey-Merritt also became the first Washington rookie running back since Antonio Gibson in 2020 to record at least five rushing touchdowns in a season.

Jaylin Lane

Jaylin Lane delivered one of the biggest plays of the game on special teams. Just before halftime, Lane broke loose for a 63-yard punt return touchdown, flipping momentum and giving Washington breathing room heading into the locker room. The return energized the sideline and turned what was a tight game into a two score advantage.

On the season, Lane has recorded 314 punt return yards, the most by a franchise wide
receiver in their rookie season since Brandon Barker in 2010 (431).

The Bad

Dec 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown (85) walks off the field after an injury during the first quarter against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Laremy Tunsil

Tunsil leaving the game with an injury was another blow to an already thin offensive line. Washington’s protection took a noticeable hit after his exit, and Marcus Mariota faced increased pressure.

Tunsil was cleared to return from a shoulder injury, but was taken out of the game again due to an oblique issue. With injuries already costing the Commanders significant continuity this season, losing Tunsil even temporarily is a major concern.

Dec 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Washington Commanders running back Jeremy McNichols (26) fumbs the ball being tackled by New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter (51) during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Ugly

Ball Security

Fumbles once again plagued Washington. The Commanders had four fumbles total, and lost two which disrupted momentum and gave the Giants extra possessions. While New York failed to fully capitalize, these mistakes kept the game closer than it needed to be and added unnecessary stress to the defense.

Washington will gladly take the win, but the film tells a clear story. The Commanders are showing flashes from young contributors, yet mistakes and injuries continue to define their season. Cleaning up the ugly will be just as important as celebrating the result.

Penalties

The penalties were another self inflicted hurdle for the Commanders. Washington was flagged eleven times for 67 yards, and several of those mistakes came at the worst possible moments. Penalties extended Giants drives on defense and wiped out positive plays on offense, preventing the Commanders from fully pulling away.

While the mistakes did not cost them the game, the lack of discipline kept New York hanging around longer than necessary and remains an area Washington must clean up moving forward.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2025 season.

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