Washington @ New York preview
MetLife Stadium
Last Meeting ( Dec 22, 2019 ) N.Y. Giants 41, Washington 35
The New York Giants will try to earn their first win of the season when they host the Washington Football Team on Sunday afternoon in East Rutherford, N.J.
New York (0-5) is off to a miserable start and enters Week 6 as one of only three winless teams. The others are the New York Jets, who share a stadium with the Giants, and the Atlanta Falcons, who fired coach Dan Quinn.
Three of the Giants' losses have come by single digits, including a 37-34 road setback last week against the Dallas Cowboys. First-year head coach Joe Judge said he is encouraged by his team's progress.
"That's all that really matters, to be honest with you, the progress that we're making right now," Judge said after his team's latest loss. "The record will come in time. Obviously, we're not happy about the losses, that's not what we do here. But I've seen a lot of progress on all fronts and all units. We have to keep making consistent progress to keep being a better team as the year goes."
Washington (1-4) also is looking for signs of improvement after dropping its last four games. The club's trajectory is pointing downward after a 30-10 loss last week against the Los Angeles Rams, which marked the most lopsided defeat of the season.
Second-year quarterback Dwayne Haskins was benched heading into last week in favor of backup Kyle Allen. Allen completed 9 of 13 passes for 74 yards and rushed for a touchdown before he was injured on a scramble, which created an opportunity for Alex Smith to take the field for the first time since a gruesome leg injury in 2018.
Washington is expected to turn back to Allen against the Giants after he reportedly was cleared by doctors to return. This would be his 15th career start, including 13 with the Carolina Panthers over the previous two seasons.
Haskins was not on the sidelines last week because of an unspecified illness, and he was not at practice Wednesday as Washington prepared for the Giants. Head coach Ron Rivera said the team is following proper protocols.
"We're not keeping him out of the building, just so everybody knows," Rivera said. "What we've done is, he's come in, he's seen the doctors, he's taken his test and he's gone home."
New York will stick with second-year quarterback Daniel Jones, who has shown flashes of potential but enters the week with only two touchdowns compared with five interceptions on the season. His 70.6 passer rating is down from his rookie season, when he posted an 87.7 rating.
Neither team ranks well in total offense. The Giants are third-to-last in the league with 282.4 yards per game, while Washington is dead last with 263.0 yards per contest.
In terms of total defense, New York ranks No. 8 in the league with 343.0 yards allowed per game. Washington checks in at No. 15 with 356.4 yards allowed on average.
New York is 0-2 at home this season. Washington is 0-2 on the road.
--Field Level Media