The New York Giants were as fortunate as they were disappointed to settle for a Week 5 tie — if not more so. Many (understandably) have mixed feelings after a chaotic, baffling game, including head coach John Harbaugh, whose defense has an issue that must be addressed promptly.
Time and again, a Washington Commanders player was streaking down the middle of the field, wide open. It became crystal clear that they saw something to exploit in the head-scratching 27-27 draw with the Giants. Not only did the eye test prove that, but the numbers do too.
Let's look at how Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels fared between the numbers compared to throws outside against New York:
Jayden Daniels between the numbers in Week 5 | Jayden Daniels on outside throws in Week 5 |
|---|---|
12 of 13 completions | 5 of 8 completions |
156 passing yards | 43 passing yards |
12 yards/attempt | 5.4 yards/attempt |
Jayden Daniels may have revealed glaring Giants defensive flaw
Daniels was relentlessly attacking the seam. Washington tight end Chig Okonkwo and wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Antonio Williams consistently had room to operate. You'd think Harbaugh and Co. would've adjusted at some point to stop them, yet they never did.
Is this a linebacker/safety problem for the G-Men? A schematic flaw? Or does it say more about where the Commanders' pass-catchers do most of their damage?
At this stage, the problem appears to be a little of all of the above. Daniels got the ball out incredibly fast, presumably as a response to New York blitzing at a remarkably high clip. He ranked at or near the top in the quickest average time to throw in the short-to-intermediate area among all QBs in Week 5.
While Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson's newfound aggressiveness has helped mask the loss of star pass rusher Brian Burns, it's also created a vulnerability.
Brian Burns' injury comes with massive knock-on effect
Burns suffered a season-ending torn right ACL and lateral meniscus in Big Blue's 12-7 victory over the Tennessee Titans. He's a one-man wrecking crew and finished second in the NFL in sacks in 2025 (16.5), so his injury is an undeniably crushing blow. Without him, Wilson has dialed up the pressure, naturally leaving the stop unit exposed on the second and third levels.
A trend might be forming, and not a good one. Arizona Cardinals veteran signal-caller Jacoby Brissett also found success around the hashes in a 36-24 loss to the Giants. All three of his interceptions came on perimeter passes, while one of two scores came on a short center attempt.
New York is betting on their ability to tackle in space and keep everything in front of them. They've gotten away with it (kind of) when facing less-than-stellar squads like the Cardinals and the Commanders. Whether the approach is sustainable versus better competition remains to be seen, though, and is certainly worth monitoring.
Note: Metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus' premium stats ($).
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