10 Things to Watch in Giants vs. Commanders

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy heads into Thursday Night Football on a six-game winning streak as a starter, while the Commanders defense features linebacker Sonny Styles and cornerback Amik Robertson.

Currently boasting the longest active winning streak among NFL starters, J.J. McCarthy enters Thursday Night Football having secured six consecutive victories under center for the Giants.

Sonny Styles Leads Commanders Defense with Tackles and Sacks

Washington counters with a defense featuring linebacker Sonny Styles. Styles leads the Commanders with 67 total tackles, sitting 14 more than any other player on the roster. His impact also includes one sack, two quarterback hits, four tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one interception, and four passes defensed.

In the secondary, cornerback Amik Robertson has provided steady play despite struggles across the Commanders pass defense as a whole. Robertson has registered nine pass breakups this season and allowed just 38 total receiving yards over his last two games, earning a passer rating against below 80.0 in each outing.

Offensive Adjustments on Short Rest

On the offensive side, Washington navigates life without wide receiver Terry McLaurin following a season-ending injury. Veteran wideout Stefon Diggs has stepped into the top option in the passing game. Diggs has caught 30 passes for 303 yards and five touchdowns across seven games, leading the team in every major receiving category. He did not suit up for the Week 5 matchup between these division rivals due to a hamstring injury.

Quarterback Jayden Daniels looks to find more success through the air this time around. Daniels threw for just 199 yards without a touchdown in the first meeting between the two teams.

However, he did more than enough damage with his legs, rushing for 103 yards and two touchdowns on an average of 11.4 yards per carry back in Week 5. In four career games against the Giants, he averages 216.8 passing yards per game with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Giants Defense Leads NFL in Three-And-Out Percentage

The Giants defense forces three-and-outs on 34.8 percent of opponent drives, leading the NFL in that category. Within the Super Bowl era, McCarthy is one of only six Giants signal-callers to triumph in his initial pair of starts for the franchise, and he achieves the feat as just the second player over the past 29 years.

Kicker Dominic Zvada has converted six field goals of 50+ yards this season, accounting for 64 total points to rank fifth in franchise history for rookie scoring. Punter Jordan Stout leads the NFL in both gross punting average at 51.8 yards per punt and net average at 44.5.