The Washington Commanders are gearing up for their third divisional matchup of the season already in Week 5.
This time, the opponent is the New York Giants. The Commanders already lost to the Eagles and Cowboys, so they desperately need this one this weekend to stay alive.
The good news is that Jayden Daniels is expected to play this weekend. Marcus Mariota went down in Week 4, so the team would have been forced to start third-string passer Athan Kaliakmanis this weekend if Daniels wasn’t ready. The Giants are also dealing with quarterback issues, as they’ll be without Jaxson Dart for the rest of the season.
Now, let’s see what the Commanders need to do to pick up their first division win of the season.
Stay healthy
Okay, the Commanders can’t totally control
how healthy they are, but still. No team can withstand the amount of injuries the Commanders have had, and anybody’s depth would be tested at this point.
The Commanders already have Terry McLaurin, Rachaad White, Sam Cosmi, and Nick Cross, among others, dealing with injuries, so they can’t afford any more. At full strength, this team can be competitive. This team is definitely good enough to beat the Giants, so let’s just hope we don’t see any starters go down in the game like we did last weekend.
Establish the ground game
This is a key every single week because I still haven’t been impressed with the Commanders’ ground game in 2026. The team is actually near the top of the league in rushing yards per game, but that’s mostly because Jayden Daniels has 100 yards.
Bill Croskey-Merritt is averaging under three yards per carry, which just isn’t good enough. The Giants are allowing about 110 rushing yards per game, so the Commanders should have chances to run the ball. They need to find consistency, especially with Daniels coming off another injury.
Antonio Williams needs to have a big game
Antonio Williams had a solid NFL debut, catching four passes for 64 yards and one touchdown in Week 1. It’s been downhill since then, though, as Williams hasn’t had more than 24 yards in a game.
Well, the Commanders may have no choice but to get Williams involved. Neither Stefon Diggs nor Terry McLaurinpracticed Thursday, which could leave the receiver room pretty thin once again. What better time than now for Williams to have a career game?
Win the turnover battle
The Commanders and Giants both have a +3 turnover differential so far this season. This means that one turnover could be the difference in this game. The Giants are sticking with Jameis Winston at quarterback, and Winston is one of the most turnover-prone passers in the game.
If the Commanders can make this one of those multiple-turnover Winston games, you have to feel good about their chances. Winston has three interceptions in three games this season.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 4 keys to a Commanders' Week 5 victory over the Giants
