The New York Giants Week 15 NFC East clash with the Washington Commanders wasn’t just a rematch of the tied game between the teams from two weeks ago it was also a de facto playoff game for both squads. The winner nearly guaranteed its ticket to the 2022 playoffs, while the loser now sits precariously in the final NFC spot. The Giants walked away with this all-important 20-12 victory, so after that huge win, let’s look at the studs, like Kayvon Thibodeaux and Saquon Barkley (and a few duds) from the Week 15 Giants-Commanders tilt.
Giants’ studs
Kayvon Thibodeaux
It’s not that Kayvon Thibodeaux, the No. 5 pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, was having a quiet year to this point. After missing the first two games of the season with an injury, the former Oregon Duck had 26 tackles, 2.0 sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
However, in the Week 15 Giants-Commanders game, the rookie pass rusher nearly equaled his career stats in one night.
Thibodeaux was a one-man wrecking crew who posted 12 tackles, 1.0 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a touchdown for the Giants defense. It was a performance that would have made Big Blue legends like Michael Strahan or Lawrence Taylor proud.
Saquon Barkley
The 2022 Giants are a lot different than the previous few seasons’ teams. Sure, they have an excellent new head coach in Brain Daboll, and Daniel Jones is playing better. However, the main difference is this team has a fully healthy Saquon Barkley.
Three seasons removed from his breakout Rookie of the Year campaign, NFL fans — and even some Giants fans — may have forgotten what a difference-make Barkley is when healthy. If you are one of those people, the running back has reminded you time and time again this season.
In the Giants’ Week 15 matchup, Barkley had 18 carries for 87 yards, five catches for 33 yards, and a touchdown. And it’s not just the raw numbers that make Barkley a stud. It’s the fact that every time the Giants needed a first down or big play, Barkley seemed to deliver.
The 2022 Giants may have their issues, but they also have one of the most dynamic players in the league, so there’s no telling how far their superstar RB can take them.
Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones wasn’t the 35-completion, 400-yard, four-touchdown type of NFL QB stud against the Commanders. But he did do what he does best, which led to a Giants Week 15 win and makes the signal-caller a stud in his own right.
The numbers were Daniel Jones-esque in the best way. He was 21-of-32 for 160 yards with no sacks, no interceptions, and no touchdowns. He also ran the ball 10 times for 35 yards. Patrick Mahomes, he is not. However, Jones just seems to almost always do enough to win, especially when he has Saquon Barkley beside him.
He made some big third-down throws to keep the chains moving on Sunday night and turned potential 10-yard-loss sacks into four-yard gains with his legs, and that is Jones’ biggest value. The Giants QB isn’t making the Pro Bowl team this season, but under the tutelage of Brian Daboll, he’s finally become a winning quarterback in his fourth NFL season.
Giants’ duds
Evan Neal
The Giants had two top-10 first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. At No. 5, they took Kayvon Thibodeaux, and he had the best night of his young career on Sunday. At No. 7, they took Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal, and he had one of the worst nights of his young career in the Giants-Commanders game.
Neal has struggled overall this season, ranking toward the end (or dead last) in individual offensive lineman rankings. On Sunday, against a fierce pass-rusher in the Commanders Montez Sweat, Neal struggled even more.
Sweat never got home, but that is a testament to Daniel Jones’ elusiveness more than anything else. The DE had two QB hits and chased the Giants' QB around all night. Rookie tackles have it tough in the NFL, but Neal definitely struggled more than most in the Giants’ Week 15 clash.
Nick McCloud
The entire Giants secondary was a mixed bag on Saturday night, with every player in the unit struggling at times and having some good moments. It would be fair to put almost any DB on this duds list, but unfortunately, Nick McCloud gets that dishonor.
McCloud was primarily responsible for Commanders rookie WR Jahan Dotson in this game, as the young pass-catcher put up four catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. In fairness to McCloud, though, while he was covering Dotson on the touchdown, it was Jason Pinnock who was in coverage on Dotson’s 61-yard grab.
Overall, the secondary got the job done (although with some uncalled pass interference on the last play), but the whole unit — McCloud included — didn’t look great doing it.
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