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Commanders vs Giants Preview: Giants Run Game
Regardless of who is in at quarterback, the Giants will likely be looking to lean on the run and try to support whichever quarterback is in the game. Last season, the Giants had plenty of success running the ball against the Commanders. Over the two games, the Giants totaled 53 carries for 293 yards and two touchdowns at an average of 5.5 yards per carry.
The Commanders run defense was poor last year and the team have made an effort to bring in bigger defensive lineman to try and help be more stout up front. The results in preseason were mixed but the starters hardly played. So this first game will be a good test of how well the Commanders can defend the run with their new personnel. Part of their issue last year against the Giants was that they played almost exclusively nickel sub-packages, meaning instead of playing their base 4-3 front with four defensive lineman and three linebackers, they would substitute out a linebacker for a defensive back. This was to help in coverage, but the Giants exploited that in the run game.
On this play from last season, you can see the Giants in their 21 personnel, with two running backs, one tight end and two receivers on the field. They use a run-heavy alignment with everyone bunched in tight to the formation. The Commanders are in their nickel defense with cornerback Mike Sainristil in the slot instead of using a third linebacker. In this defense, Sainristil has to become the third linebacker, as that’s the player he’s replacing on the field. You can see him lined up as a linebacker next to Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu. The problem is, Sainristil is an undersized slot corner that has to try and take on offensive lineman that can have a huge size advantage over him.
As this play progresses, the left tackle climbs up to the second level and approaches Sainristil. Sainristil does his best to try and work around the tackle, but the tackle is able to get his hands on him and make the block. The running back cuts his run back into the gap where Sainristil should have been, but because Sainristil was being driven backwards by the tackle, the running back is able to hit the hole and pick up a 10-yard gain.
Javon Kinlaw emerges as Commanders’ defensive wildcard for 2025 opener
Surrounded by a defense that values toughness and disruption, Kinlaw brings a unique skill set. At 6-foot-5 and over 300 pounds, he can collapse pockets and disrupt rushing lanes. His versatility allows him to line up in multiple spots across the defensive front, giving the Commanders an edge in matchup situations.
Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. has emphasized creating chaos up front, and Kinlaw’s blend of power and mobility fits perfectly into that approach. While other names on the line may draw more attention, Kinlaw’s ability to win one-on-one battles could free up teammates and tilt games in Washington’s favor.
The Giants present a challenging test for Washington’s defensive front. New York has invested in strengthening its offensive line to protect new starting quarterback Russell Wilson and open lanes for its backfield. For the Commanders, slowing that attack begins with controlling the line of scrimmage, and Kinlaw will be central to that mission.
As a rotational player with the potential for expanded snaps, Kinlaw provides fresh energy and a physical presence. His ability to generate push against the interior of New York’s line could disrupt both the passing and rushing attack. If he can consistently win inside, Wilson will be forced into quicker decisions, giving Washington’s linebackers and secondary opportunities to capitalize.
Commanders’ cautious approach with Noah Brown could reap instant rewards
There was an enormous amount of concern when Brown got carted off the practice field at mandatory minicamp. The Commanders didn’t officially disclose the issue, but they treated the Ohio State product with extreme caution over training camp.
Brown didn’t get any reps during the preseason, which wasn’t a great shock in the circumstances. However, the fact that he looked explosive and sharp during an on-field workout before Washington’s final warmup game against the Baltimore Ravens represented a positive step in the right direction.
The Commanders gave Brown another one-year extension this offseason despite the player suffering a serious internal issue that required kidney surgery versus the Tennessee Titans. Another injury-hit offseason wasn’t ideal, but it would be a big surprise if he wasn’t on the field when Week 1 against the New York Giants arrives on Sunday.
If the Commanders want to reach loftier expectations this season, they need Brown to be fit and firing throughout. McLaurin and Deebo Samuel Sr. will lead the charge, but Brown’s ability to stretch the opposition’s secondary, make plays downfield, and also gain defensive pass interference penalties will be an integral part of Kliff Kingsbury’s offensive strategy.
NFL Future Hits List: 32 under-the-radar names every true fan should know
Washington Commanders: John Bates, TE
It is perhaps cheating to put Bates, a fifth-year player who signed a $21 million extension with the Commanders this spring, on this list. However, as a No. 2 tight end, Bates is still well under the radar to the larger public — although he’s certainly not underrated by his teammates and coaches. Bates might be the best blocking No. 2 tight end in the NFL right now. Watch him from snap to snap, and thank me later.
Deebo Samuel Changes Everything | Jayden Daniels’ Leap, Commanders Preview & 10-Win Prediction
Bill Barnwell’s TOP 5 Most Improved and Declined NFL Teams in 2025
2025 NFL projections, power rankings, Super Bowl predictions
Projected defenses to allow the most points
1. Dallas Cowboys, 439 points
The Cowboys allowed the second-most points last season, and that was with Micah Parsons for 13 games. Parsons was traded to Green Bay on Thursday for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks. Linebacker Eric Kendricks, nickel corner Jourdan Lewis and edge rusher Chauncey Golston are also gone.
Sprinkle in a few lingering injuries (including top linebacker DeMarvion Overshown), and the Cowboys have the shakiest defense in the league. Facing the Eagles and Commanders twice will only boost their points allowed.
2. Las Vegas Raiders, 428 points
3. Carolina Panthers, 427 points
Cowboys news: DaRon Bland ’dumbfounded’ by his new contract extension
”I was kinda surprised. I was a little bit dumbfounded. I can’t believe I’m going to be making that much doing what I do,” Bland told reporters after practice.
“I thank God, because not many fifth-rounders get the opportunities that I had and be in this league and be able to do what I do.”
Giants-Commanders odds: Giants are 6.5-point underdogs in season opener
After embarrassing starts the last two seasons, Giants try for Week 1 upset
The Giants went just 3-14 in 2024, but a revamped roster and a 3-0 preseason during which they scored 107 points (35.7 per game) have brought a renewed sense of optimism.
The Commanders, led by then-rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, went 12-5 last season and won a Wild Card round playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Giants will be seeking to reverse an ugly trend that has season them lose their last season-opening games in embarrassing fashion. In 2023, a 40-0 Week 1 loss to the Dallas Cowboys set the tone for a 6-11 season. In 2024, a 28-6 loss to Minnesota Vikings began a terrible 3-14 year.
The Giants lost both game against Washington last season, but those losses were by only a combined total of eight points. They lost 21-18 at Washington in Week 2 and 27-22 at home in Week 9.
2025 NFL playoff predictions: Picks for 8 division winners, 6 wild cards
Rank 1 – Philadelphia Eagles -145
(28 votes: Abdoo, Andrade, Baca, Band, Battista, Bergman, Bhanpuri, Blair, Carr, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Edholm, Filice, Gonzales, Gordon, Holzman-Escareno, Jones-Drew, Koplowitz-Fleming, Kownack, Okada, Parr, Patra, Rank, Reuter, Rosenthal, Ross, Shook, Zierlein.)
2) Washington Commanders (+200) | 1 vote: Florio.
The NFC East’s decades-long streak without a repeat winner is officially on notice. The reigning division and league champs are forecasted to retain at least one of those crowns this season, garnering 93% of the first-place votes in their group — and our analysts expect their dominance once again to extend beyond just the East, with the Eagles being the lone NFC team to appear on all 29 ballots. That said, don’t sleep on the Commanders, who ranked third in wild-card confidence one year after a 12-win campaign earned them the conference’s No. 6 seed.
3) Washington Commanders (29 points)
Fifth seed (4 votes): Bergman, Chadiha, Gonzales, Okada.Sixth seed (7 votes): Band, Holzman-Escareno, Jones-Drew, Reuter, Ross, Shook, Zierlein.Seventh seed (2 votes): Cersosimo, Patra.NFL decision-makers’ predictions for 2025
Daniels’ popularity was also noteworthy after his extraordinary rookie season. However, it’s worth noting Stroud was in a similar boat in last year’s survey, finishing second with 16 votes before crashing back to earth. Daniels has plenty to prove.
“I need to see more from Jayden Daniels,” one of his voters said, “but that dude is a f—ing freak.”
Another standout absence: Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft tied Lamar Jackson with five votes last year but didn’t record any this time. Maye and Nix leapfrogged him, as did Ward, the most recent top selection.
The Commanders were another surprise, but rival voters wondered if they’d fall back to earth after catching lightning in a bottle with Jayden Daniels’ incredible rookie season. And even though the Commanders strengthened the depth of their roster with solid veterans, some voters worried how that would impact an aging roster.
Back to the subjectivity of it all, one voter picked the Texans for this category even though that voter believes Houston will get back to the playoffs.
“They’ll win the division,” the executive said, “but they’re not Super Bowl contenders.”
Change the NFL’s unnecessarily complicated IR rules
To its credit, the league has become increasingly responsive to concerns about player safety and overall health. There was a time when moving a player to IR was an automatic season-ender, and then another point where only two guys could return from IR during the year, provided they were part of the initial 53-man roster after final cuts and designated for early return.
Layers of new rules and exceptions have continued to be built on this process. Now, teams can return eight players from IR throughout the season and don’t have to designate them in advance. Recently, the rules now allow for two players who were placed on IR during training camp or preseason to also be eligible for a mid-season return. The Cowboys intend to utilize this provision with WR Jonathan Mingo and DE Payton Turner, who are recovering from recent injuries but are expected to return by October.
But those weren’t the only injured Cowboys coming out of the summer. RB Phil Mafah and CB Caelen Carson are also banged up, with Carson having missed all of August with a knee issue. Dallas wants the option to bring them back during the year, though, so it required a brief period of roster gymnastics. To be eligible to return, Carson and Mafah had to be carried on the roster through final cuts.
Before Tuesday’s 4 pm ET deadline, Adeniji and Goodwin had been released to help Dallas get down to the 53-man limit. But once waivers were processed on Wednesday, Dallas immediately re-signed the veterans after moving the young prospects to injured reserve. Clearly, as has happened with Goodwin multiple times now over the last few years, they were released with a wink and full understanding that it was a temporary formality.
So the big question here is, “Why?”
If teams have to go to all this trouble to circumvent the rule, and it’s allowed, then why have the rule? Why does it matter if a player got hurt during OTAs or a preseason game? Why does it matter if they were on the roster on August 26th and gone on the 27th? Isn’t this getting pretty silly?
This entire system is based on the longstanding goal of preventing teams from abusing IR, using it to retain extra players they don’t want to lose but also don’t have room for in the current year. As we mentioned before, the NFL has softened on this with increasing awareness of the long-term ramifications of playing through injuries, even supposedly minor ones. That’s also why practice squads have now ballooned to 16 spots, double what they were just 20 years ago.
But if Mafah and Carson are actually hurt enough to justify being on IR, which is a different debate, then why not just let them be placed there just like Mingo and Turner? If teams are just going to shake hands with veteran journeyman to go through this one-day farce of a transaction, what’s the point?
For that matter, as long as the medical reports are going to be trusted, then why put so many restraints on the overall process? Every year, some teams have worse injury luck than others. And as we know, injuries are a prevalent part of football, and players have become increasingly self-protective. Limiting teams’ ability to navigate injuries, whether it’s through restrictions on the use of IR, or even the reduced active spots on gameday rosters, feels increasingly antiquated.
Beyond adapting to the modern appreciation for sports medicine and health, there’s the integrity of the game component. Historically, one of the most impactful parts of the “Hard Knocks” series is in that final episode when some guys make it and some guys don’t. All summer long, these guys fight for a place on the roster. Hakeem Adeniji earned his way to being the backup right tackle, and having to spend a night unemployed just cheapens that accomplishment. After an offseason of coaches trying to push culture and camaraderie, it’s a generally unnecessary reminder of the business side of the NFL.
Of course, the Adenijis, Goodwins, and many other veterans who played their part this week probably aren’t that bothered. It is just business, after all, and they didn’t lose a penny in the process. But for as much as the modern fan sees the fourth wall, whatever small ways we can preserve some innocence and even the perception of purity is worth considering. Even if you don’t care about such things, just do it in the name of logic and efficiency. No matter how you spin it, it’s just not worth the hassle.