Bryan Armetta offers up a preview, prediction and pick for Sunday’s Week 1 game between the New York Giants and the Washington Commanders.
The NFL season is finally here, and few teams are more pumped up than the Commanders. After a miraculous run to the NFC Championship Game, Jayden Daniels and company have their eyes set on a Super Bowl. However, Washington could have its hands full on Sunday against the Giants. New York possess one of the NFL’s most dangerous defensive fronts, led by All-Pro Dexter Lawrence. On offense, the team signed veteran quarterback Russell Wilson. Will that be enough for Big Blue to take down a playoff contender? Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Sunday’s showdown between the Giants and the Commanders.
The Commanders are favored by six points (-108) over the Giants, with the over/under set at 45.5 points. Which of these NFC East rivals has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook entering this Week 1 contest?
Giants vs. Commanders prediction, preview
We’ll start with the home team, arguably the most improved in football last year. Most of the credit needs to go towards Daniels and new head coach Dan Quinn. Together, the duo helped guide Washington to their most successful season this century. During that stretch, the latter of the two delivered one of the most impressive rookie campaigns in NFL history. Through 17 games, Daniels threw for 3,568 yards, ran for 891 more, and accumulated 31 total touchdowns. That included two victories against a last-place Giants squad.
Let’s be clear about the Commanders: this isn’t a one-man show. On the outside, Terry McLaurin is one of the NFC’s best wide receivers. Offseason acquisition Deebo Samuel should make for a lethal one-two punch at the position. At running back, veteran Austin Ekeler and rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt could form a dynamic duo. A middling offensive line receiived a major upgrade in the form of Laremy Tunsil. The five-time Pro Bowler had been a mainstay at left tackle for the Texans. The rub on Washington? This defense, already a below-average unit, didn’t receive many notable upgrades.
It’s a far different story for New York, one of the NFL’s worst groups in 2024. The G-Men, unlike the Commanders, struggled mightily on offense. That’s despite nailing their first-round draft pick with wide receiver Malik Nabers. Fortunately for the Giants, Super Bowl winner Russell Wilson is replacing Daniel Jones at quarterback. It’s been a prolific career for the 36-year-old, now playing for his fourth franchise. However, he’s not the same passer he was in his prime. Last season with the Steelers, Russ threw for 2,482 yards and 16 touchdowns (five interceptions) in only 11 games. Those numbers, while middling, are still a significant upgrade over Jones.
If the Giants are going to win games this year, it’ll likely be due to their defense. The already dominant defensive line trio of Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux got even better this summer. Penn State’s Abdul Carter, one of the best edge rusher prospects in recent memory, was selected third overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Now, this newly formed front will be tasked with chasing down one of the sport’s best dual-threat QBs.
Last season, Daniels threw for a combined 435 yards and ran for 79 more against New York. A 112.8 passer rating is still terrific, but it’s not quite the stat-stuffed outing we’ve come to expect. Granted, Washington was able to dominate the time of possession thanks to their run game. That won’t be so easy with Carter joining this Giants d-line. With that being said, a middling secondary will have to fend off both McLaurin and Samuel. That creates even more impetus on Big Blue to put pressure on Daniels.
Giants vs. Commanders pick, best bet
It’s easy to forget now, but the Giants actually played two one-possession games against Washington last season. In fact, they might have won in Week 2 had they rostered a healthy kicker. Both of these squads appear upgraded entering 2025. The Commanders should still be favored, but there’s a good chance this becomes a low-scoring affair. With these rivals shaking off the rust, I’ll back New York to cover.