Don’t expect the New York Giants to take their foot off the pedal after rising to sole possession of 1st place in the NFC East Division for the 1st time in over a decade.
If anything, under new head coach John Harbaugh, the temperature is about to get turned up exponentially.
That starts Sunday with an NFC East showdown against the 1-3 Washington Commanders in Week 5, where the Giants will have a huge opportunity to add another nail to the Commanders’ coffin—and will likely face starting quarterback Jayden Daniels after he missed the last 2 games with a dislocated left elbow.
“We’re going to have to prepare for Jayden (Daniels),” Harbaugh told ESPN’s Jordan Raanan on Monday. “Looks like we’re gonna get him.”
The Giants are 3-1 after a Week 4 win over the Arizona Cardinals and have beaten 2 of the NFL’s worst teams in a row after a win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 3.
Giants Could Change Game Getting to Daniels
Daniels was 1 of the NFL’s best quarterbacks as a rookie in 2024 but has seen his promising career plagued by injuries since then — including missing 10 games in 2025 with a variety of injuries, including the same injury he has right now.
Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, suffered his latest dislocated elbow against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2. While surgery was an option, Daniels has elected to play the rest of the season with his left arm in a brace.
That could be a real problem against the Giants, who have 1 of the NFL’s elite young edge rushers in 2025 No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter.
“Abdul Carter had 14 pass rush wins vs the Cardinals on Sunday,” Big Blue Film Room wrote on its official X account. “The most by any player in a single game this season. Since he entered the league, Carter has been among the best in the league when it comes to creating pressure.”
Another injury to Daniels could mean curtains for his sophomore season — and the Commanders’ season.
Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota, who led the team to a win over the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Week 3, sprained his MCL in a Week loss to the Indianapolis Colts and is out for an undetermined amount of time, leaving 2026 7th-round pick Athan Kaliakmanis as Washington’s next option.
Giants Dealing With Own Serious Injury Issues
The Giants can relate to Washington’s injury issues at quarterback — they lost starter Jaxson Dart to a season-ending knee injury in a Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
As if losing their most valuable offensive player wasn’t enough, the Giants lost their best defensive player 1 week later when NFL All-Pro edge rusher Brian Burns tore his ACL and meniscus in a win over the Titans.
Giants’ Harbaugh Delivers Message on Facing Commanders QB Jayden Daniels