In the first matchup between the two NFC East teams, the Washington Football Team and New York Giants held a defensive battle on the field. Despite Washington controlling most of the second half, the Giants’ clutch defense edged out their rival in the fourth quarter. A fourth quarter touchdown fumble recovery by Tae Crowder and two-point conversation stop gave the boys in blue a 20-19 victory. The Week 6 win is the Giants’ first victory of the 2020 season.
First Half
The Washington Football Team got off to a solid start on their first drive with good field position. Despite Kyle Allen’s aggressiveness and solid carries from J.D. McKissic, Dustin Hopkins could not convert the 47-yard field goal. This ultimately hurt Washington in the long run. New York took over on their own 37-yard line and Daniel Jones immediately connected with Evan Engram for a 21-yard gain into Washington territory. Jones’s short passes were enough to get the Giants into the red zone but had to settle for a 33-yard field goal by Graham Gano.
After cornerback James Bradberry intercepted Allen, the Giants converted the turnover with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Darius Slayton for a 10-0 lead heading into the second quarter. Washington ate up a decent amount of the clock on their next drive, but a sack pushed them back out of field goal territory. However, Allen’s 20-yard pass to Terry McLaurin set up a 35-yard field goal to end the drive. Despite the Giants reaching the red zone in their next drive, Washington’s defense forced them to settle for another field goal and a 13-3 lead. Washington took over on their next drive and capped a 13 play, 70-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Logan Thomas to end the first half.
Second Half
The second half started slow but quickly picked up right before the fourth quarter. Jones and Devonta Freeman led the Giants to the red zone right before the third quarter’s conclusion. However, cornerback Kendall Fuller intercepted Jones’s deep pass intended for Slayton. Once Washington took over, Allen primarily hit targets on slant routes in the middle. Despite completions to Dontrelle Inman and Antonio Gibson, the Giants’ defense held Washington to another field goal to tie up the game at 13.
While Washington’s defense forced a Giants’ punt on their next possession, New York’s defense bounced back with the turning point of the game. With 3:41 left to go in the game, linebacker Kyler Fackrell knocks the ball out of Allen’s hand and Crowder recovers the fumble for a 43-yard touchdown return to give the Giants a 20-13 lead. However, the Washington Football team was not done yet. Allen constantly broke down the Giants’ zone defense with quick passes off hook and slant routes up the middle. Washington capped a 10 play, 75-yard drive with a touchdown pass to Cam Sims for his first NFL score. In typical Ron Rivera fashion, Washington goes for the two-point conversion, but the Giants’ blitz applied too much pressure on Allen, knocking the ball away. The Giants’ defense saved the victory with a final score of 20-19.
Highlights
🎯🎯🎯 @budlight | #BudLightCelly
📺#WASvsNYG FOX pic.twitter.com/IASZAP5DpC
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) October 18, 2020
Allen throws his first touchdown of the game to Thomas, who makes a solid, one-armed catch.
https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1317914867345612800?s=20
Crowder’s awareness and speed shifts the momentum towards the Giants’ side after the play of the game.
What a time to have your first TD‼️
📺 #WASvsNYG on FOX pic.twitter.com/ZOg2KE7SFh
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) October 18, 2020
Sims scores his first career touchdown off a play-action bullet pass from Allen.
https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1317918807336386573?s=20
The Giants went with a goal line blitz to freeze Allen and cause the incompletion, leading them to their first victory of the season.
The Washington Football Team will return home to face another NFC East matchup with the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday, October 18 at 1:00 p.m. EST. Meanwhile, the Giants hit the road to face the Philadelphia Eagles for a Thursday Night Football showdown on October 22 at 8:20 p.m. EST. A critical injury to watch is C.J. Board, who was carted off for a neck injury after a big hit in the fourth quarter. The two teams will face each other again in Week 9, with Washington hosting the Giants.
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Main Image Credit:
Embed from Getty Images
