An inside look at Sunday’s Giants-Commanders NFL Week 7 matchup at MetLife Stadium:
Marquee matchup
Commanders WR Terry McLaurin vs. Giants CB Deonte Banks
When they go against each other, it figures to be a battle.
In his seven career games versus the Giants, McLaurin has 50 receptions for 650 yards and three touchdowns.
He has at least 70 receiving yards in all seven games.
Banks helped the defense do a credible job last week on Stefon Diggs, even though Diggs had 10 catches for 100 yards. Diggs was targeted so often — 16 times — that it was impossible to contain him entirely.
The Giants did keep him out of the end zone.
Banks rarely comes off the field and is quietly putting together a strong rookie season.
The task for Banks gets more difficult if CB Adoree’ Jackson (neck) is limited or does not play.
Paul’s pick
It is with cautious optimism and tepid confidence we declare here that the Giants will score a touchdown in this game — on offense!
Now then, do not go adjusting your fantasy football rosters just yet.
A defense that is getting its hands on the ball with more frequency should be able to create a turnover or two, and Saquon Barkley will show how much his team missed him.
Giants 19, Commanders 13
Four downs
Room for Hyatt: The idea is to get Jalin Hyatt more involved, and that means increasing his workload.
He had a season-high 56 snaps last week and caught three passes for 21 yards.
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Ever since he caught passes of 58 and 31 yards in a second-half comeback at Arizona, Hyatt has noticed opposing defenses rolling coverage to his side, acknowledging the speed element he adds to the passing game.
“I love it,’’ Hyatt said. “It just shows they respect me as far as the deep ball. My overall goal is to be a complete receiver, I don’t want to be known as ‘He’s just a deep receiver.’ I want to be able to make every catch, every play and that’s what I’m working towards.’’
Sam I am: The Commanders certainly are not babying Sam Howell in his second year in the NFL and his first as the starting quarterback.
No “let’s run it and manage the game’’ with him. Howell is fifth in the league in passing attempts with 214.
He tossed three touchdown passes in a 24-16 victory last week in Atlanta and in three career road starts has six TD passes and no interceptions.
Not bad for a 2022 fifth-round draft pick.
“They drop back and pass a lot and he slings it,’’ Giants head coach Brian Daboll said. “He’s not afraid to turn it loose, stands in the pocket, has a good arm. He’s not afraid to fire it. So, he’s a tough competitor. Liked him coming out, and he’s done a good job there.’’
Far-fetched: A team needs to earn the right to consider itself a playoff contender and, clearly, the Giants have not earned anything this season.
They were 5-1 through six games last season and are 1-5 this season.
How buried are they? Only three teams since the merger in 1970 have ever started a season 1-5 and come back to make the postseason: The Bengals in 1970, the Chiefs in 2015 and the Colts in 2018. The 1970 Bengals are the only NFL team to qualify for the playoffs after a 1-6 start.
In a rush: It took a while for Saquon Barkley to get going last week, which was to be expected.
He gained 61 of his 93 yards in the fourth quarter, and perhaps that production can carry over.
The Commanders have four vaunted former first-round picks — Chase Young, Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen and Montez Sweat — filling their defensive line, but their defense against the run is nothing special, just 23rd in the league and allowing 129 rushing yards per game.
Barkley’s two most prolific career rushing games (170 and 189 yards) have come against Washington.
