NFL Football
2026-11-12 - Washington Commanders at New York Giants
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : NFL Week 10
Thursday 12th November 2026 - Scheduled 8:20pm EST
1:20am (British Time)
Preview
By the end of Thursday Night Football in Week 10 of the 2026 NFL season, both of these NFC East teams will have gotten past the halfway mark of the regular season schedule.
With the Philadelphia Eagles bottoming out, the Washington Commanders (2-5-1) should be well aware that they will soon find themselves following that Divisional rival out of contention if they cannot start turning things around immediately. They have won just one of the last five games, that being against the aforementioned Eagles who have turned their attention to 2027, and this is the second time that they are facing the New York Giants (5-2-1), which increases the importance of this Divisional game.
Losing would put the Commanders four games out of the Divisional lead, while also holding the tie-breaker disadvantage compared with the New York Giants, and that looks very difficult to overcome.
Two seasons ago, the Commanders made the Playoffs thanks to a 12-5 record and then made a run to the NFC Championship Game, but injuries prevented them from challenging in 2025. The expectation was that a healthier Jayden Daniels could spark the team and he has played in six games in 2026 compared with just seven overall last season.
However, Daniels is operating an Offensive unit playing with a first time Offensive Co-Ordinator and that has been a frustration to the team as well as the fans with Washington struggling.
In saying that, it was not David Blough's fault that Daniels failed to understand the clock management situation in the tie with the New York Giants last month and failing to win that game has made things that much more difficult for the Washington Commanders. For the main part, Jayden Daniels has done what has been asked, but just 7 Touchdown passes have been thrown this season and that is not good enough, even if he is yet to throw an Interception.
Last month, the Washington Offensive Line crushed New York up front and that led to the team piling up over 200 yards in just 30 carries- since then, the Commanders have not run the ball as well as they did in that game, while the Giants Defensive Line has tightened up, but you would still have to expect the Commanders to use the same game plan and control the clock and the down and distance when they have the ball.
Jayden Daniels is capable of moving the ball with his feet, but should also be successful making plays out of third and manageable spots on the field. The absence of Terry McLaurin is a big blow for the Quarter Back and Daniels has found the pocket collapsing around him when he has dropped back to throw, but he will not have to hold the ball for too long if the Commanders are in front of the chains and that should aid him on Thursday Night Football.
The New York Giants have been one of the overachievers through the first half of the season and they have won four of the last six games, including the last two in a row with a Bye Week thrown in-between. Many reports had the Giants actively looking to make trades that could see them capitalise in the surprisingly weak NFC East, but they failed to add as the fans or Head Coach may have hoped and that potentially leaves them short of the talent needed to have a really deep run in the posr-season.
First things first is getting to the post-season and the Giants have to be hoping Quarter Back JJ McCarthy is not too limited by a hip injury suffered in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9. Playing on a short week is far from ideal and the Giants may not have the same kind of support for the Quarter Back as the Washington Commanders will expect to give to Jayden Daniels.
It was pretty clear that the Giants were looking to make a big impact by trading for a top Running Back, but moves for Bijan Robinson and Jonathan Taylor failed to materialise. The Offensive Line helped the Giants pick up just over 100 yards in 28 carries in the tie with the Commanders and they are not expected to have a lot of joy establishing the run with the kind of consistency that may be needed to give a banged up Quarter Back a bit of support.
Another similarity with the Commanders is that the New York Offensive Line has not offered the kind of time the Quarter Back would like with the pocket collapsing as they have failed to prevent pass rushers getting into the backfield.
However, unlike Washington, that task becomes all the tougher when stuck in third and long spots on the field and the Commanders will feel they have enough about them to break down this New York Offensive Line that has not blocked very well. There are one or two holes that JJ McCarthy can exploit in the Secondary, but that becomes so much harder to do when under immense pressure and the Quarter Back has to avoid picking up more damage to a vulnerable hip, while also avoiding the mistakes that can turn the momentum of a game.
New York will feel late mistakes in Overtime cost them the chance of beating Washington in the first meeting in 2026, but that tie did snap a four game losing run in the series. That may give the Giants some confidence, but they were beaten as a similar size favourite when hosting the Washington Commanders last season and the road team may be able to make the points count in a game where an extra possession or two can make all of the difference.
A feeling remains that the Giants record is built on a weak schedule rather than a massive improvement from a team that finished 4-13 last season. Head Coach John Harbaugh will have given them a boost, but perhaps not enough to warrant the record produced so far and the Washington Commanders could make the points count as a road underdog on Thursday Night Football.
Week 10 will see a desperate Washington arrive in Gotham and that could be enough to inspire the upset in a game where they do match up well with the favourite.
Prediction
Take the points with a desperate road underdog in this NFC East game to be played on Thursday Night Football.
The Pick :
New York Giants 17-20 Washington Commanders
BEST BETTING TIP :
I'll back Washington Commanders + 2.5 Points at -110 with BovadaCanadian Players Can Join In with Bet365
