In a game that saw six lead changes and a nail-biting finish, the New York Giants dropped their first road game of the season to the Washington Commanders, 21-18, as Austin Seibert’s 30-yard field goal as time expired sealed the victory. It was the second time in head coach Brian Daboll’s three-year tenure that the Giants lost on a last-second field goal, echoing the painful defeats by Minnesota’s Greg Joseph in 2022 and the Jets’ Greg Zuerlein last season.
Late-Game Heroics Seal Giants’ Fate
Seibert, who was signed by Washington just last week, connected on seven field goals, including four from under 30 yards. The last time a kicker had seven successful field goals against the Giants was in 2003, when Billy Cundiff of the Cowboys accomplished the feat. Seibert’s accuracy proved decisive, as he became the first NFL kicker to nail six field goals from inside 35 yards since Rob Bironas did it in 2007. The Commanders controlled the ball with surgical precision, holding it for 9:36 on the opening drive and outgaining the Giants 425-322 in total yards.
Giants Fall to 0-2 for the First Time Since 2021
This defeat drops the Giants to 0-2 for the first time since 2021, a troubling start for a team with playoff aspirations. The Giants’ offense showed flashes of brilliance, but it was not enough to overcome their defensive lapses and an impressive Commanders’ rushing attack that gained 215 yards, led by Brian Robinson Jr., who rushed for 133 yards on 17 carries.
Daniel Jones’ Mixed Day
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones completed 16 of 28 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns, earning a passer rating of 100.0. This marked his 18th career game with a rating of 100.0 or higher. While Jones played efficiently and avoided turnovers, his efforts weren’t enough to secure the win. Jones continues to show a particular affinity for playing in Washington, as he’s now thrown nine touchdowns and no interceptions in five career games at Northwest Stadium.
Rookie receiver Malik Nabers was Jones’ primary target, hauling in 10 passes for 127 yards and his first NFL touchdown. Nabers became the youngest player in NFL history to record at least 10 catches, 100 receiving yards, and a touchdown in a game, breaking a record held since 1953. Nabers’ stellar performance is one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing Giants’ effort.
Defensive Struggles
The Giants’ defense had its moments, sacking Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels five times. Safety Jason Pinnock notched the first two-sack game of his career, and linebacker Bobby Okereke added a sack to his tally. Micah McFadden, returning from a groin injury, led the team in tackles alongside rookie cornerback Andru Phillips. However, the defense failed to generate any turnovers and allowed Washington to gain 215 yards on the ground, the most since Miami’s Da’Von Achane ran for 151 yards against the Giants last season.
One glaring statistic was that the Commanders never punted throughout the entire game, marking the first time a Giants opponent has done so since the San Francisco 49ers in 2020. Washington’s time-consuming drives, including a 16-play, 9:46-long opening drive, wore down the Giants’ defense.
Special Teams Woes
Injuries also played a role in the Giants’ loss. Kicker Graham Gano injured his right hamstring chasing Austin Ekeler on the opening kickoff, which led to punter Jamie Gillan stepping in as the emergency kicker. Gillan missed an extra point attempt following Devin Singletary’s first-quarter touchdown, leading the Giants to forego further extra-point or field-goal attempts for the remainder of the game.
Singletary, who led the Giants with 95 rushing yards on 16 carries, scored his first touchdown in a Giants uniform on a 7-yard run. Despite solid contributions from Singletary and Robinson, who caught two passes including an 11-yard touchdown, the Giants’ offense struggled to maintain consistency.
Commanders’ Ground Game Dominates
Washington’s success on the ground, spearheaded by Brian Robinson Jr., was pivotal. His 133 rushing yards were the most by a Giants opponent since Da’Von Achane’s performance last season. Combined with Daniels’ timely completions, the Commanders kept the Giants’ defense off-balance and methodically wore them down.
Moving Forward
The Giants have shown resilience in recent years under Daboll, but this loss highlights some significant areas of concern, especially in terms of defensive lapses and special teams issues. The Giants were unable to generate a single takeaway for the first time since Week 15 of last season, and their inability to capitalize on Washington’s mistakes proved costly.
While Daboll did win two replay challenges, nullifying potential Commanders first downs, those small victories were overshadowed by Washington’s dominance in time of possession and their ability to grind out tough yards when it mattered most.
The Giants will look to regroup and address these issues as they prepare for their Week 3 matchup, hoping to avoid a disastrous 0-3 start. But with injuries mounting and execution lapses on both sides of the ball, Brian Daboll and his coaching staff have their work cut out for them.
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