GIANTS LOOK TO WIN SIXTH GAME IN A ROW AGAINST WASHINGTON
N.Y. GIANTS (0-1) at WASHINGTON (0-1)
Thursday, 8:20 p.m. EDT, NFL Network
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 OFFENSE: OVERALL (25), RUSH (28), PASS (18T), SCORING (29)
GIANTS DEFENSE: OVERALL (23), RUSH (29), PASS (16), SCORING (19)
WASHINGTON OFFENSE: OVERALL (27T), RUSH (12), PASS (32), SCORING (26)
WASHINGTON DEFENSE: OVERALL (24), RUSH (14), PASS (28), SCORING (39)
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Giants 0; Washington Plus-1
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 Jones, Golladay caught four passes for 64 yards. Expect more against Washington from the former Lions receiver who signed a four-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. Collins has also never beaten New York and is looking like his old self again after tearing his right Achilles tendon last season.
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.