Three keys to the Giants upsetting the Commanders in Week 1 - What New York must do to start the 2025 NFL season off strong

The New York Giants open their 2025 season against one of their NFC East rivals, the Washington Commanders, this Sunday.

The Giants have a daunting schedule ahead of them, so starting 1-0 and stealing an early division game is crucial. Facing off with one of the hottest teams in the NFL will be a challenge, but there is a potential opportunity for New York to pull off the upset.

Here are three key areas they must excel in to win this Sunday.

Contain Jayden Daniels

Any dolt could write that the Giants need to slow down quarterback Jayden Daniels. If you slow down one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL, you'll find a way to win.

To be a lot more specific, they need to play technically sound as a pass rush unit and not allow Daniels to break contain. Even that premise sounds easier said than done.

According to NFL Pro, Daniels was the only quarterback to increase his team's win probability when he held onto the ball for four or more seconds last season. It's an understatement to say that Daniels was elite as a rookie when improvising.

Luckily, the Giants' defensive line is one of the most athletic in the NFL after they drafted Abdul Carter. If New York can effectively spy and force Daniels to stay in the pocket, it will increase their chances of generating pressure and sacks. If they allow him to extend plays early, the game will be over as soon as it starts.

The Giants have a unique advantage that many teams don't have when facing the Commanders. Even though Washington added veteran lineman Laremy Tunsil and drafted offensive tackle Josh Conerly early, they have a talent advantage on the line of scrimmage. New York's best athletes must show up.

Attack Washington's secondary deep

Last season, the Commanders allowed the sixth-most deep touchdowns per NFL Pro. Additionally, Washington is projected to start rookie Trey Amos at one of their outside corner spots.

Their secondary won't be a significant liability, and Amos has the potential to be a solid rookie. But the Giants have a chance to test Russell Wilson's patented moonball against the Commanders. Most importantly, in any early-season matchup, attacking and testing a rookie is something many coaches will do to create offensive success.

Assuming Marshon Lattimore is focused on Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton or Jalin Hyatt need to break free for multiple explosive plays if they want to win. One of the most significant issues that plagued the Giants with Daniel Jones was his inability to complete deep passes. That potentially changes early with Wilson under center.

Limit explosive plays

Despite the Giants' defense being their most significant asset heading into 2025, it was a massive liability in specific areas last season. Per NFL Pro, the Giants allowed the third-worst rate of explosive plays to opponents on 3rd and long at 21.7%. They allowed a total of 22 explosive plays in those situations, six of which happened against the Commanders in 2024.

Washington's offense is loaded with explosive talent after it bolstered its arsenal this offseason. They added Deebo Samuel and re-signed Terry McLaurin. They also have an underrated playmaker in Noah Brown and drafted speedster Jaylin Lane in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Having one of the fastest quarterbacks in the NFL orchestrating this squad makes it even more difficult to slow them down.

First downs will be converted, and chunk plays will be generated. However, the best way to stay within range of a dangerous offense to pull off an upset is to force them to play at a much slower pace. If the Giants' defense can play more assignment-sound football to start 2025, there's a real shot they can pull out multiple low-scoring upsets.