Giants vs. Washington: Preview and Prediction

The New York Giants will play their first ever Week 18 regular-season game when they take on the Washington Football Team at home this Sunday. Both teams had high hopes entering the year, coming off big-spending offseasons under second-year head coaches. Now, in the season’s final week, both teams are well out of the playoff race and playing out the string. But while Washington merely lost out to its NFC competitors in the race for the postseason, New York crashed and burned in a fiery wreck at the side of the road.

The Giants limp into their season’s final week as the NFL’s laughing stock. They’ve dropped five straight games, coming off a blowout loss to the lousy Chicago Bears in which they had -10 passing yards, the fewest by any team since 1998. Their head coach Joe Judge gave a gonzo 11-minute rant in the post-game press conference, wildly defending his failing tenure by claiming nebulous behind-the-scenes progress and a great culture that former Giants players supposedly regret leaving. The veracity of Judge’s claims is certainly suspect. Regardless, he came across as a man desperately grasping for job preservation despite sporting a 10-22 overall record.

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While Giants fans are just grateful this embarassment of a season is finally ending, this game represents a major opportunity for second-year quarterback Jake Fromm. The Georgia product will get his second start for New York as Mike Glennon will miss the game with a wrist injury. Fromm started two weeks ago against the Philadelphia Eagles, but got benched in the third quarter for Glennon after completing just six of 17 passes for 25 yards and an interception. Second chances are few and far between in the NFL, especially for fifth-round picks like Fromm. If he hopes to have a future in this league, he’ll need to show some life on Sunday.

For the Giants, all that’s left to decide this season is which selections they’ll hold in this year’s NFL Draft. Thanks to last year’s draft-day trade with the Bears, New York currently holds the fifth and eighth overall picks. Depending on how things shake out with the other bottom-dwelling teams in the league, Big Blue’s first-round  picks could move as high as third and seventh, or as low as sixth and twelfth. As long as the Giants and Bears both lose (Chicago will play the Vikings in Minnesota on Sunday), both picks will stay in the top ten, which would be huge for a team lacking elite talent.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Sunday’s game, followed by a prediction for the final score.

Where and When

MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. EST / 10:00 a.m. PST

Injuries

Washington: WR Curtis Samuel (Questionable), TE Ricky Seals-Jones (Questionable), RB Antonio Gibson (Questionable), TE Sammis Reyes (Questionable), DE James Smith-Williams (Questionable), DE Montez Sweat (Questionable), OT Saahdiq Charles (Questionable)

New York: TE Kyle Rudolph (Questionable), WR Darius Slayton (Questionable), RB Saquon Barkley (Questionable), OLB Lorenzo Carter (Questionable), WR Kadarius Toney (Questionable), WR John Ross (Questionable), OT Korey Cunningham (Questionable), DT Danny Shelton (Questionable), DT Dexter Lawrence (Questionable), WR Collin Johnson (Questionable), OT Andrew Thomas (Questionable), DT Austin Johnson (Questionable), FB Cullen Gillaspia (Questionable), OG Will Hernandez (Questionable)

Most Concerning Matchup: DE Montez Sweat vs. OT Nate Solder

Even as injuries have wiped out nearly the entire Giants starting offense, Solder remains it’s most worrisome member amongst a host of backups. The veteran tackle has had a poor season on the right side of Big Blue’s offensive line, earning a paltry 59.4 grade from Pro Football Focus. He’s been a weak point all year, allowing all-too-frequent pressure while not exactly road-grading in the run game. This will almost certainly be Solder’s last game as a Giant, and possibly his last game as a pro, too. It won’t be an easy sendoff for him.

Sweat’s totals may not jump out at you, but he’s garnered his five sacks this season in just 10 games. He still has a solid 24 quarterback pressures this year, and has earned a strong 76.0 grade from Pro Football Focus. Sweat’s elite length and athleticism will pose a major challenge to the creaky Solder. New York will have to provide him plenty of help to allow Fromm a chance to play from the pocket.

Most Promising Matchup: DT Dexter Lawrence vs. C Keith Ismael

The Giants’ roster is so dilapidated that it’s difficult to find any advantageous matchups for them on paper. One player that could be in line for a strong game is Lawrence, especially if starts the majority of his snaps across from Ismael. Washington’s second-year center has started the last three games in place of the injured Tyler Larsen, to middling results. The San Diego State product is vulnerable to power, and is the true weak link in Washington’s otherwise solid offensive line.

Lawrence was just activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list, so he may not be at 100 percent come gameday. Still, he was one of the few Giants playing good football before he missed last week. He’ll have a tasty matchup on his hands in his season finale. If Lawrence can generate a consistent push upfront, he can help disrupt Washington’s already underwhelming passing game.

Keys to Victory

If we’re being honest, the key to victory for the Giants on Sunday is to lose. There’s nothing substantial to be gained by winning a meaningless Week 18 game. New York is best served by losing to ensure their draft pick stays in the top-five, with the possibility of rising a couple of spots of things break their way.

For those fans that want the Giants to win no matter what, hope Fromm has an out-of-body experience and plays better than anyone could expect. Throw in a four-months-too-late Kenny Golladay breakout, and Big Blue will have a fighter’s chance if Washington’s offense can’t get a rhythm.

Final Score Prediction: Washington 20 – Giants 6

The Giants are hands down the worst team in football right now. To predict anything other than a loss for them is lunacy. Big Blue has gotten abhorrent quarterback play ever since Daniel Jones got injured in Week 12, and Fromm won’t change that on Sunday. Washington has nothing to play for and may not have much motivation, but they’ll win in a cakewalk regardless.

– Ryan Cuneo is the Managing Editor of Full Press Giants. He covers the New York Giants. Like and follow on Follow @ryan_cuneo Follow @FullPressGiants and Facebook.