Bold Giants Predictions for Giants' Week 7 Game vs. Washington
The New York Giants host the Washington Commanders on Sunday, the first of two meetings against one another this season.
Although the Giants hold a 105-70-5 record against the 3-3 Commanders, a 1-5 start to the season has left many concerned about New York's immediate future, including Sunday's game, where they are a 2.5-point underdog. Can the Giants pull it off? They can if some or all of these bold predictions come to fruition.
Giants hold Sam Howell to <250 passing yards.
One of the biggest reasons why the Commanders have found a way to win games this season comes down to the play of young quarterback Sam Howell. In six games, Howell has completed 67.8 percent of his 214 pass attempts for 1,500 passing yards and nine touchdowns.
The significance of Howell in his first matchup facing the Giants is that he’s thrown six touchdowns to go with no interceptions in three career road games. In two of those three road games, Howell has thrown for 290+ passing yards in each matchup.
"I think he’s a good quarterback. I think that each week he improves," said Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. "You can see that he’s getting used to (Commanders offensive coordinator) Eric’s (Bieniemy) system, and he has some Josh Allen-type qualities. I’m not saying he’s that yet, but he has those qualities. He’s got great awareness in the pocket, and he can throw the football. So, it’s going to be a challenge for us."
The Giants' scrappy pass defense is currently ranked 16th in the league in passing yards allowed per game (217). However, the Giants also have one of the lowest interception rates (1.68 percent), with just three picks in six games.
Though Howell already fell short of passing over 250 yards last week in Atlanta, we predict that will occur again against the Giants on Sunday.
Receiver Terry McLaurin Held Scoreless
A great matchup many will want to keep their eyes on is that between Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin, whom some often refer to as "Scary Terry," given his ability to shred a defense.
Ever since he set foot in the NFL in 2019, McLaurin has established himself as one of the best wideouts in the league and most versatile with his skill set. No surprise, but McLaurin is the Commanders team leader in receptions (31) and receiving yards (342).
However, McLaurin hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 2, a streak the Commanders will be keen on ending come Sunday. McLaurin will mostly see a lot of rookie Deonte Banks this weekend.
According to Pro Football Focus, Banks ranks sixth in the NFL with a 20 percent forced incompletion rate and has a 92.1 targeted passer rating, which ranks 35th. Banks has also not allowed a reception for more than 19 yards, the third shortest among qualifying cornerbacks, and his 4.8 yards per target allowed ranks third among cornerbacks.
McLaurin vs. Banks will be a fun matchup to watch on Sunday, as seeing whether the Giants rookie, who has already given up two touchdowns this season, can continue to hold McLaurin scoreless.
Giants Score First Offensive TD of Season Before Halftime
The Giants offense is the worst in the NFL. Sitting in dead last in points scored per game (11.8), the Giants are also 31st in total yards per game (265.5), 31st in passing yards per game (166.7), and 30th in red zone conversion rate (31.25 percent). With injuries plaguing the offensive line, running back, and quarterback positions, the Giants have found it difficult to score touchdowns this season, especially in the first half of their games.
"That’s a part of emphasis for us; we need to work to improve that," said offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. "You look at our fundamentals, our techniques, and some of the drives we’re running there. What’s stopping us from getting points? Is it penalties? Is it execution? Is it play calling? So, you evaluate that."
Despite getting close to achieving that last week against the Buffalo Bills, the Giants have a good chance of scoring their first touchdown in the first half against a Commanders team that’s struggled to keep points at bay.
Tied in third with the Chicago Bears for the most points allowed per game (29.3), the Commanders defense just so happens to be 29th in total yards allowed (377.2), 27th in passing yards (248.2), and 23rd in rushing yards (129.0).
The two areas the Commanders excel in are red zone defense, where they boast a 47.62 percent conversion rate allowed (10th in the league), and quarterback sacks, with a 9.18 percent sack per pass attempt rate (11th in the league).
On the contrary, the Giants have struggled immensely in the red zone and come with an offensive line that leads the league in allowed pressures (109).
Giants Win Second Straight vs. Commanders
As previously noted, the Giants are 105-70-5 all-time against Washington, a team whose number they have had in recent years. After winning five straight games against the Commanders from 2018-2020, the Giants lost two straight and tied their first matchup last season before ending the cold streak with a 20-12 win last December.
At 1-5, the Giants are looking for a lifeline to save their season. But as history has illustrated, the Giants tend to show up and excel against the Commanders the most among the three NFC East opponents.
Seeing how inconsistent the Commanders' defense has been with the number of points and yards they concede per game, the Giants, if they can jumpstart their offense, have good odds at coming away with a big win and their second straight against the Commanders on Sunday.
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