The few in attendance at frigid MetLife Stadium saw the Commanders win for the first time in over two months (Ben Standig)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Much can happen over 70 days.
That’s how many sunsets passed between wins for the Washington Commanders. October 5 was the last time they tasted one, improving to 3-2 with a 17-point road victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Major League Baseball’s postseason was still in the divisional round, thieves were two weeks away from robbing the Louvre, and the idea of grandfather Philip Rivers quarterbacking again at the NFL level wasn’t on anyone’s radar.
That stretch also marked the free fall. Last season’s NFC runner-ups went from contenders to basement dwellers. Washington lost eight straight games, five by at least 21 points. Last week’s 31-0 debacle in Minnesota — with quarterback Jayden Daniels aggravating his injured elbow — became the new low.
“It’s hard to go two months without winning a football game,” quarterback Marcus Mariota said.
Finally, on a frigid afternoon with pregame snow at MetLife Stadium, the sun returned.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown, Terry McLaurin scored on a 51-yard catch-and-run, and Jaylin Lane returned a punt for a touchdown as Washington put together an all-around effort in a 29-21 win over the New York Giants.
“It never felt like an emotional letdown — like our season is over, let’s hang it up,” McLaurin said of Washington’s mindset. “We’ve got to find a way to get another one. You get a win, it’s an addictive feeling.”
McLaurin’s score from Mariota stretched the lead to 29-14 with 13:40 remaining. The Commanders, now 4-11, snapped the skid and completed a season sweep of a two-win Giants team.
Still, nothing comes easy this season.
Washington fumbled four times, losing two in the fourth quarter. Mariota, making an eighth start in place of the injured Daniels, and running back Jeremy McNichols both put the ball on the ground. McNichols’s muff at midfield with 2:38 remaining gave New York life and agita for head coach Dan Quinn.
“Of course,” Quinn cracked postgame. “We made it a lot harder than it needed to be.”
Starting from Washington’s 49, Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart scrambled for a first down before throwing three incompletions on the final set of downs.
There’s no salvaging this lost season. The draft order has become a central topic, and the win dropped Washington toward the back-end of the top 10. That aspect had no bearing on Jeremy Reaves describing his postgame feeling as “weird.”
“Why couldn’t we have been doing this the last two months?” the safety and special teams ace said. “Find a way to figure it out, win — however it may look. I’m happy to finally get one under the belt, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say it’s frustrating at the same time.”
The seventh-round rookie had the league buzzing through his opening five games, highlighted by 150 scrimmage yards — 111 rushing on 14 carries — and two touchdowns in Washington’s Week 5 win over the Chargers. Croskey-Merritt led all running backs with a 6.6 yards-per-carry average entering the following week.
Who knew that would be his high-water mark until Sunday?
From Weeks 6-14, Croskey-Merritt totaled 82 carries for 267 yards without a touchdown, averaging 3.3 yards per attempt. Beginning with the Bears game in Week 6, defenses crowded the box and played man coverage outside, daring Washington to throw downfield while squeezing the run lanes.
Croskey-Merritt managed 61 yards on 17 carries in the last-second loss to Chicago but didn’t reach that yardage total or per-carry average again (minimum five attempts) until breaking through against the Giants’ 31st-ranked run defense. He finished with 96 yards on 18 carries, double McNichols’ attempts. Mariota added 43 rushing yards as Washington totaled 144 on the ground.
Chris Rodriguez Jr. had taken over as the backfield lead beginning in Week 9, averaging 4.7 yards on 54 carries. With the power back sidelined Sunday, Croskey-Merritt’s shiftiness returned to the rotation. After McNichols handled the opening possessions, Croskey-Merritt ripped off consecutive six-yard runs and later moved the pile for 11 yards to New York’s 22.
Two plays later, Washington showed a zone run left. The Giants flowed with it. Croskey-Merritt cut back through the middle and sprinted 16 yards for the touchdown.
The Commanders can improve their three-headed backfield, which lacks a true home-run threat or a back who scares defenses on all three downs. Maybe Croskey-Merritt, who fumbled for the third time this season, gets there with experience. Rodriguez is effective between the tackles but offers little in the passing game. McNichols excels in a complementary role.
For a roster with needs everywhere — and the reality that not all can be addressed in one offseason — Washington could decide this trio, plus a Day 3 pick, is enough heading into 2026.
For a defense built on a “Ball is life” mantra, turnovers have been on life support most of the season. One player has shown a pulse.
Four plays after Lane’s punt-return touchdown, Sainristil jumped a pass and returned the interception 55 yards to the Giants’ 24, setting up Jake Moody’s second field goal. The 2024 second-round pick said film study told him what was coming. He keyed on Jalin Hyatt’s route and broke when he recognized the ball wasn’t going deep.
Sainristil’s four interceptions are the most by a Washington cornerback since Kendall Fuller in 2017 — and the most by any Washington defender since Darrick Forrest in 2022. They also represent half of the team’s total takeaways this season. The Commanders rank among the league’s worst with a minus-12 turnover margin.
It’s not Pro Bowl-level disruption, but it’s more than anyone else on the defense has provided. The bigger question is where the staff lines Sainristil up next season.
Built for the slot, the 5-foot-10 corner has arguably been better outside. That said, his size doesn’t neatly fit Quinn’s press-man preferences — though it remains unclear who will be calling plays in 2026. A scheme shift could keep Sainristil outside, but Washington still needs to add a bigger boundary corner regardless.
Wide receiver is Lane’s primary position, but Washington envisioned the rookie fourth-rounder as a punt-return weapon, too. They were right.
Lane nearly broke a 20-yard return early, then went the distance with 65 seconds left before halftime. Starting up the middle, he burst left and outran the coverage for a 63-yard score — his second punt-return touchdown of the season.
Washington badly needs speed, especially at receiver. Lane’s 4.34 speed rarely showed up on offense, in part due to struggles creating space on the perimeter. His skill set fits better in the slot, and he could get that chance next season if Deebo Samuel isn’t re-signed.
Regardless, Lane’s juice shows up on special teams. Take the win.
The rookie right tackle has had better starts — but he recovered well.
Conerly was flagged twice on the opening drive for a false start and a hold (declined). In the second series, No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter beat him off the edge for the first sack Conerly had allowed since Week 8. Mariota holding the ball an extra beat didn’t help.
What stood out: Conerly didn’t fold. He stayed alert and recovered two first-half fumbles by Mariota and Croskey-Merritt.
“I thought, ‘How the hell is the offensive tackle recovering two fumbles?’” Quinn said. “He was disappointed — penalties kicked our ass today — but those recoveries are big plays. You see the challenge for him this season and the growth. There are big things ahead for him.”
If you don’t trust Jayden Daniels to stay healthy, say the quiet part out loud
Mariota completed 10 of 19 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown in his eighth start. He also rushed for 43 yards, was sacked twice, and lost two fumbles. His status for Saturday’s game against Philadelphia depends on Daniels’ health.
Brandon Coleman replaced Laremy Tunsil at left tackle after Tunsil exited with a shoulder injury and later an oblique issue.
McLaurin caught three of his four targets for 69 yards
Dart finished 20 of 36 for 246 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Giants RB Tyrone Tracy rushed for 70 yards on 15 carries and scored twice. New York averaged 5.0 yards per carry against Washington’s 29th-ranked run defense.
Second-year TE Ben Sinnott caught one pass — a 36-yarder — in Washington’s first game without Zach Ertz (ACL). He also delivered key run-game blocks. John Bates added one catch for 19 yards.
WR Noah Brown (rib), DT Eddie Goldman (concussion), TE Colson Yankoff (ankle) and CB Darius Rush (groin) were injured.
Reserve CB Antonio Hamilton stepped up in coverage with Jonathan Jones out, breaking up two passes, including an early third-down throw to Darius Slayton.
Edge rusher Von Miller extended his team-high sack total to seven.
Moody made field goals from 46 and 42 yards but missed an extra point. Giants kicker Younghoe Koo missed two attempts from beyond 50.