NFL Thursday Night Football preview: Commanders try to put previous nightmare vs. Giants behind them

The Washington Commanders should have had a win over the New York Giants this season. Or at least a field-goal attempt for the win.

The last time the Commanders and Giants played, it ended with one of the worst game-management fiascos in recent years. The Commanders were in line for a game-winning 42-yard field goal in overtime. Then it got weird. Washington was painfully slow in running a play from scrimmage in the final minute; Jayden Daniels inexplicably allowed himself to be tackled, and time ran out before Washington could spike it. The game ended in a tie with Washington never getting that field-goal attempt.

The Commanders can't get the play off in time and this game ends in a tie pic.twitter.com/WmPp6q5hU0

- NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2026

Washington is 1-2 since then, and its record this season is a disappointing 2-5-1. The Giants, gifted a half-win in Washington, are 2-1 since then and 5-2-1 overall, good for first place in the NFC East.

The Giants aren't a dominant team, but they're in a great position to win the division and host a playoff game. If the season ended now, they'd be the No. 3 seed in the NFC. Acquiring J.J. McCarthy for a fifth-round pick has had a big impact on their season (and the Vikings' season too). McCarthy isn't coming off his best game - Jameis Winston led the Giants' only touchdown drive in a 19-11 win over the Eagles last week - and is dealing with a hip pointer, but overall he has shown some promise.

The Commanders have been a mess most of the season, and Daniels rightfully said after last week's loss to the Rams that the Giants game is a "must-win." They can't afford a loss. Or even a half-loss like they took when these teams met the first time.

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn looks on after his team tied the Giants in Week 5. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)AP Photo/Nick WassWho needs it more?

The Commanders' season is practically over, and Dan Quinn's job status might be in jeopardy with a loss on Thursday. If Washington loses, it would be four games behind the Giants and New York would own the tiebreaker. There wouldn't be much reason for hope if that happens. But if the Commanders win, they'd be just two games back and have the tiebreaker. That's a massive swing. The Giants want to get this win to practically eliminate the Commanders and move closer to an NFC East title, but Washington is clearly the more desperate team.

Key player: Giants WR Malik Nabers

Malik Nabers came into the season with some questions over his health, as he was coming off a torn ACL. But over the first half of the season, he has re-established himself as one of the top young receivers in the NFL. He has 53 catches for 648 yards, and that is after a pretty slow start. He had four 100-yard games in a row, a streak that was snapped last week. In the first meeting with the Commanders, Nabers had 11 catches for 121 yards and a game-tying touchdown with 1:43 left in regulation. The Commanders do not have a cornerback who can reasonably match up with Nabers. Washington is 30th in passing yards allowed and 28th in passing touchdowns allowed. If they can't contain Nabers, it could be a long night.

Betting market watch

The New York Giants have a sizable lead in the NFC East and have also been one of the most reliable teams for bettors to back this season (6-2 against the spread). It wasn't pretty, but J.J. McCarthy, Jameis Winston & Co. won (and covered) on Sunday against the Eagles. Although McCarthy left the game briefly with a hip injury, it appears he'll play.

On the other sideline, the Commanders had yet another late-game blunder in a 20-13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9. Washington is going nowhere fast, and the team has a lot more questions than answers at the moment. It's a little surprising this spread is only New York -2.5, but it's also hard not to back Big Blue at under a field goal. - Ben Fawkes

Check out more of Ben's work at the Yahoo Sports betting hub.

Fantasy football storylines

The Giants and Commanders played an adorable tie game five weeks ago, with both teams frittering away a likely win in overtime. Thursday night, they get the anticipated rematch. Here are three fantasy themes to track as you watch the game.

1. Will Malik Nabers go off again? Nabers had a four-game streak of 100-yard efforts snapped last week, but this is a great chance to get cooking again. He drew 20 targets and posted an 11-121-1 return the last time he faced Washington's beatable secondary.

2. Can Jayden Daniels get his running mojo back? Daniels needs to run proactively to be at his best, and he gashed the Giants for 103 yards in that prior meeting. He's had just 49 yards rushing, total, in his last three starts. The Washington pass-catchers are ordinary, so if Daniels is going to be a fantasy-worthy start here, he needs to use his athleticism.

3. Is Cam Skattebo back in the Circle of Trust? It's been a whirlwind sophomore year for Skattebo - fumbles, injury, a soft benching. And the Giants did kick the tires on a Jonathan Taylor trade this week. Alas, Skattebo is someone they probably need, given how poorly Devin Singletary played against the Eagles. The Washington run defense has been solid all year, a stark contrast to the pass defense. - Scott Pianowski

Check out more of Scott's work at the Yahoo Sports fantasy hub.