Predicting the Commanders' next four games after 5-2 start in 2024
By Dean Jones
Commanders at NY Giants - Week 9
- Date: Sunday, November 3
- Time: 1.00 p.m. ET
- Venue: MetLife Stadium
The Washington Commanders are proudly sitting on top of the NFC East through seven weeks of the campaign. It's a slender advantage over the Philadelphia Eagles, but it's something nobody anticipated in Year 1 of this extensive rebuild under the new regime.
There's nothing to legitimately fear in the division anymore. The Commanders have been the whipping boys for years before head coach Dan Quinn took charge. This is changing through fundamentally sound football and a complete culture shift across the franchise.
They've already proven to be a match for anybody. Therefore, nothing but a win at the New York Giants in Week 9 will do.
Washington has already gotten one over on the Giants this season. Their Week 2 triumph would have been a lot more comfortable had the Commanders been effective in the red zone. Those kinks have now been worked out, so confidence should be high versus a Giants team navigating some turbulent waters.
Saquon Barkley came back to haunt the Giants in Week 7, torching his old employers en route to a convincing win for the Eagles. Quarterback Daniel Jones was benched but will remain the starter this weekend. Whether he'll be under center by the time Washington comes to town is another matter.
The Commanders cannot take this - or any game for that matter - as a foregone conclusion. That shouldn't be a problem considering how comprehensively they've been disposing of the league's bottom feeders so far. Their defense should be respected, especially considering nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II is playing at an All-Pro level, but they've been vulnerable at all three levels throughout the season.
- Prediction: Commanders win (7-2)
Washington cannot take the Giants lightly. They also don't have the best record at MetLife Stadium in recent years. At the same time, this is a completely different outfit - one with a collective purpose that treats every opposition with the same mentality.