The Giants still hold one of the NFC’s seven playoff spots heading into Week 13. But things aren’t looking as rosy as they were earlier in the year.
After starting 6-1, Big Blue has stumbled a bit since Week 8. They’ve lost three of their last four games, most recently to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. A home matchup this Sunday vs. the Washington Commanders is the second of four straight games against NFC East opponents.
New York needs to approach this matchup like a playoff game because it feels like a must-win scenario. This is the first time quarterback Daniel Jones is playing meaningful December football since entering the NFL in 2019. Based on how things are looking, this is also the biggest game of his four-year career to this point.
Considering the circumstances, facing the Commanders is the best possible opponent to get him and the Giants back on a winning track. When looking at Jones’ career numbers against fellow NFC East teams (Dallas, Washington, and the Philadelphia Eagles), his results against the Commanders have clearly been the best.
In seven games against the Cowboys, Jones is 1-6. He’s completed 112 of 188 passes for 1,200 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions. This has led to a 78.8 quarterback rating. He’s .500 against the Eagles in four tries before two head-to-head matchups later this season. Jones has completed 88 of 135 passes for 934 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. His quarterback rating against Philly is currently sitting at 88.7.
But against Washington, Jones is 4-1 in five games. This includes completing 108 of 158 passes for 1,150 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions. That’s led to a 100.4 quarterback rating. He’s added a couple of rushing performances of 70-plus yards in the process.
Dan Duggan of The Athletic also made an interesting observation. Early in Jones’ career, he went through a 20-game stretch where he won just four games. All four of those wins came against Washington.
Does any of this actually mean anything? Teams can take on different identities from year to year. However, for a club needing to create momentum in any way possible, this can be a place to start for its signal-caller.
Matt Musico can be reached at matt.musico@xlmedia.com and you can follow him on Twitter: @mmusico8.
