Commanders must take advantage against suspect Giants defense

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The Washington Commanders have a season-opening game against the New York Giants to make a statement in the NFC East.
Fantasy Sports On SI writer Ryan Shea thinks the Commanders defense could have a big day against the Giants.
"This week, the Commanders play the Giants at home. This is a good matchup as the Giants are coming off a 3-14 season in 2024. They have a new starting QB with Russell Wilson, but the same coaching staff as last season. As long as the Commanders contain Giants star WR Malik Nabers, it should be an easy day at the office for Head Coach Dan Quinn's defense," Shea wrote.
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Commanders defense could make statement vs. Giants
The Commanders are going against veteran starter Russell Wilson in his first appearance for the Giants, so it's a matchup that could go in Washington's favor.
That being said, it is Week 1 and the Commanders defense has a few new pieces as well that could balance things out.
Early in the season, reading is fundamental when it comes to the scouting report. There isn't a ton of footage of the unit as a team sometimes, especially when a new coordinator and players come in for the start of a season. This means studying tendencies of specific players will be important.
Washington was really good at defending the pass but terrible at stopping the run, ranking third-worst in the NFL last season in rushing yards allowed.
If the Giants have a run-heavy game plan, it should help their chances to win the game. If it is a pass-heavy defense, the Commanders could be due for the big day referenced above.
The Commanders are scheduled to kick off when hosting the Giants at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday inside Northwest Stadium.
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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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Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
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