The New York Giants and their fans don’t need a reminder of the last time they were hailed as the victors of the NFC East. Nor of the last year they even had a chance of competing for the title in the second half of the season.

However, with John Harbaugh bringing rapid success in his first year as head coach despite some early injury adversity that ripped away his intended starting quarterback in Jaxson Dart and other key players, that is where the Giants find themselves as the 2026 campaign hits Week 10 in the blink of an eye.

Leading the division at 5-2-1, the Giants, bolstered by their never-say-die mentality, the switch to J.J. McCarthy at quarterback, and a huge pass-rushing resurgence under defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, have put themselves in the driver’s seat by handling their business in several close games that have filled their early slate.

That includes a pair of division victories over the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, the latter of which the Giants defeated 19-11 this past Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field for the first time in 13 years, going 1-0 in the first half of a critical two-game swing for the franchise.

On the other side are the Washington Commanders, who are set to visit New York on Thursday night at MetLife Stadium for the back half of their regular-season series.

The first meeting in Landover in Week 5 was a rare exception to the trend, as neither team could make enough plays in the critical moments of overtime, including an unfathomable mishap by the Commanders on the final play, when they let the clock run out within kicker Drew Stevens’ field goal range. The result was a grueling 27-27 tie that left the Giants a little dissatisfied.

A rematch on home soil will give Harbaugh’s Giants an opportunity to avenge a win that most players in the locker room would agree they let get away from them, especially against a Washington offense that is reeling from injuries, including a compromised Jayden Daniels, and has struggled to do the right things to finish football games.

The caveat is the weather, which is expected to bring miserable, rainy conditions to East Rutherford in the hours leading up to and during the game, similar to what the Giants faced five weeks earlier during their draw.

It will also be a short week for McCarthy and the offense, which will likely have to ditch a good portion of its playbook and rely on the run game to get the job done. Questions loom about the strength of the Giants’ backfield, including whether McCarthy’s legs will be a factor after he sustained nasty hits during the win over Philadelphia that led to a rib injury.

McCarthy fully expects to play as he steps into his first full home start with the organization. Still, the Giants must play it safe while executing as close to perfection as possible in a game where points could be at a premium and one mishap could determine the outcome.

With the calendar well into November and the hardest part of their schedule yet to be played, the Giants know they need to right their wrongs from their first battle with the Commanders and land the knockout punch that gives them another key win in the NFC East race.

A 3-0-1 divisional record mixed with a few extra victories in softer matchups would likely render any challenger to the Giants’ postseason hopes dead. That is what will linger in the players’ minds as they prepare to come out on top for the second time in five days.

Check out New York Giants on SI for pregame, in-game, and postgame coverage. 

Commanders (2-5-1) vs Giants (5-2-1)

Regular Season Series History

This week’s matchup marks the 190th all-time meeting between the Giants and Commanders, the third-most face-offs between the two franchises in NFL history. That long lineage includes two postseason games as well.

After their 27-27 overtime draw in Week 5, New York held a 108-75-6 advantage in the NFC East rivalry series, but the Giants had lost the four previous games dating back to the 2024 season, three of them decided by less than one score.

The Giants’ last victory over Washington came in Week 11 of the 2023 season, when they swept the Commanders for the third time in four years. Their last win at MetLife Stadium came four weeks earlier, when Big Blue defeated the Commanders 14-7 behind then-starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

Television

Thursday's contest will air on Amazon Prime Video. Al Michaels will serve as the play-by-play announcer with Kirk Herbstreit working as the analyst and Kaylee Hartung as the sideline reporter.

Radio

Fans can listen to the radio broadcast on WFAN 101.9FM. Bob Papa will be the play-by-play announcer and joined by former Giants greats Carl Banks and Howard Cross as analyst and sideline reporter.

Referee

Brad Rogers is the designated lead official for Thursday's game. The Lubbock, Texas, native began his officiating career in 1991, working local high school games before moving on to the Southeastern Conference and Conference USA at the college level, then joining the NFL in 2015 for preseason games.

Two years later, Rogers was hired to be a full-time field judge. In 2019, he was promoted to head referee after John Parry's retirement and has yet to officiate any postseason games in his career.