N.Y. GIANTS (0-1) at WASHINGTON (0-1) THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL CAPSULE
WHEN:
Thursday, 8:20 p.m., NFL Network, NBC New York
OPENING LINE: Washington by 3 1-2, according to FanDuel SportsBook
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Giants 0-1; Washington 0-1
SERIES RECORD: Giants lead 105-69-4
LAST MEETING: Giants beat Washington 23-20 on Nov. 8, 2020 at Washington
LAST WEEK: Giants lost to Broncos 27-13; Washington lost to Chargers 20-16
GIANTS PLAYER TO WATCH: After missing all three preseason games because of a hamstring injury, WR Kenny Golladay got on the field in Week 1. Despite being rusty and having not worked a lot with QB Daniel Jones, Golladay caught four passes for 64 yards. Expect more against Washington from the former Lions receiver who signed a 4-year deal for $72 million as a free agent.
WASHINGTON PLAYER TO WATCH: Chase Young was held without a sack and to just three tackles by the Chargers and will need to be more disruptive to make Washington’s pass rush a factor. New York’s offensive line isn’t as stout as L.A.’s, which could open some opportunities for Young and fellow edge rusher Montez Sweat.
KEY MATCHUP: Jones vs. Washington S Landon Collins. Jones has never lost to Washington, and the former Giants defensive back questioned his old team taking the Duke product so early in the first round.
KEY INJURIES: Pro Bowl TE Evan Engram (calf), LB Cam Brown (hamstring) and G Shane Lemieux (knee) are all out for the Giants. RB Saquon Barkley is listed as questionable but expected to play. … Washington is turning to Taylor Heinicke as starting QB after Ryan Fitzpatrick injured his right hip in the season opener. … RB Antonio Gibson is expected to be full go after banging up his left shoulder against the Chargers.
SERIES NOTES: The Giants have won the past five meetings, including a sweep last
season when Washington finished first in the lowly NFC East. … Judge is 2-0 and Jones 4-0 against Washington. … Washington coach Ron Rivera last beat the Giants in 2018 with Carolina. … Alex Smith was Washington’s QB the last time it beat the Giants, in October 2018.
STATS AND STUFF: Since making the playoffs in 2016, the Giants have had four
consecutive losing seasons. They started at least 0-2 each of those seasons. … Jones threw for 267 yards against the Broncos, ran for a touchdown and threw one. He also lost a fumble on a run into the red zone. … In four career starts against Washington, Jones has thrown eight TD passes and three interceptions. … Barkley, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, had a career-high 279 yards from scrimmage in his last game against Washington on Dec. 22, 2019. That included a career-best 189 yards rushing, 90 yards receiving and two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. … Barkley was limited to 26 yards on 10 carries Sunday. … WR Sterling Shepard had seven catches for 113 yards and a TD against the Broncos. He has had a TD catch in two of his past three games at Washington. … DB Logan Ryan had a forced fumble and recovery on the same play last week and a team-high 10 tackles. In three career games against Washington, he has two interceptions, one forced fumble and a sack. … Rookie LB Azeez Ojulari last week became the youngest player in Giants history to make a sack. … This is Washington’s first Thursday night home game since 2017. … Washington does not play another NFC East game until Dec. 12 against Dallas. … Heinicke is set to start a regular-season NFL game for the just the second time and first since 2018 with Carolina. Heinicke started Washington’s wild-card game against Tampa Bay last season. … Heinicke was 11 of 15 for 122 yards and a TD pass to Logan Thomas in relief of Fitzpatrick in Week 1. … Gibson had 20 carries for 90 yards and lost a fumble against the Chargers. Gibson is fully recovered from a toe injury that hampered him late last season. … WR Terry McLaurin finished with a team-high 62 yards receiving last week despite not being targeted for more than a quarter and a half. … Washington’s new-look offensive line allowed one sack but plenty of QB hits and pressure against L.A. … Washington’s defense stopped the Chargers on just 5 of 19 third-down opportunities. Allowing a 73.7% conversion rate ranks worst in the league. … Sweat and DT Jonathan Allen each sacked Justin Herbert in Week 1. … LB Cole Holcomb led Washington with 11 tackles last week. … Rookie CB Benjamin St-Juste was a frequent target of Herbert’s in Washington’s opener and was in coverage for the go-ahead TD pass to Mike Williams. … DB Bobby McCain had a careerhigh 10 tackles last week.