The New York Giants (0-1, 0-0 away) and Washington Football Team (0-1, 0-1 home) kickoff Week 2 of the NFL regular season on Thursday Night Football. Both teams dropped their season openers, with the Giants losing 27-13 to the Denver Broncos and WFT falling 20-16 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Thursday’s kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. EST at FedEx Field in Landover, MD. According to oddsmakers, the Football Team is a 3.5-point favorite, and the over-under total is at 41.
What to Know – New York Giants
New York heads on the road for the first time this season after the short week of rest. The Giants look to even their record after the Week 1 loss. Joe Judge led the Giants to a 6-10 record in his first season as head coach last season.
The Giants totaled 314 yards of offense but only 60 on the ground against a tough Denver defense. Defensively, New York surrendered 420 yards and allowed the Broncos to average 5.9 yards per carry.
Quarterback Daniel Jones threw for 267 yards and one touchdown on 22-of-37 passing. Jones was the team’s leading rusher with 27 yards and a score.
Star running back Shaquon Barkley returned to the field after a lengthy recovery from a torn ACL suffered in Week 2 of 2020. Barkley was held to only 26 yards rushing on ten attempts.
Sterling Shepard hauled in a game-high seven receptions for 113 yards, highlighted by a 37-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter. The wide receiver has eclipsed in two straight contests after tallying 112 yards through the air in Week 16 last year.
What to Know – Washington Football Team
The WFT was dealt a huge blow in its opening loss with starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick suffering a hip injury that sent the veteran to the injured reserve. Quarterbacking duties will be handed over to backup Taylor Heinicke, who came in to replace Fitzpatrick in the second quarter.
Head coach Ron Rivera is in his second season as the leader of the Football Team.
WFT managed only 259 yards of total offense and converted just 3-of-10 third-down tries. The Football Team was carved up defensively, conceding 424 yards, including 334, through the air.
Heinicke looked good under center, completing 11-of-15 passes for 122 yards and one touchdown. The four-year pro had a breakout game the last time we saw him, combining for 352 yards of total offense with two scores in the playoff loss to Tampa Bay.
Antonio Gibson tied a career-high with 20 carries for 90 yards, while wide receiver Terry McLaurin paced the receiving core with four receptions for 62 yards. Tight end Logan Thomas scored WFT’s lone touchdown.
The Pick is In
After an epic Thursday night matchup to kick off the season last week, NFL fans get to watch two of the league’s worst offenses go at it in prime time. Give a slight edge to the Football Team for the home-field advantage, but neither team is good enough to run away with this one.
Betting Pick: New York Giants +3
