J.J. McCarthy makes his first home start at quarterback for the New York Giants under the prime-time lights on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET on RDS2 against the Washington Commanders.
Malik Nabers told RDS that the divisional matchup carries immense weight following a tie between the two teams last month. “On essaie d’enchaîner un 2-0 puisque la dernière fois, ça s’est terminé par un match nul, alors qu’on aurait dû gagner,” Nabers said.
Head coach John Harbaugh shared that sentiment when speaking to RDS. “C’est un match décisif,” Harbaugh said. “Pour l’instant, nous sommes à égalité. Ce match va nous permettre de départager les deux équipes.”
The Giants enter the contest with a 5-2-1 record to lead the NFC East, while the Commanders sit at 2-5-1 and fight to keep their fading playoff hopes alive. Sam Cosmi told RDS that the division leaders present a must-win test.
“C’est un match très important pour l’équipe: rester dans la course,” Cosmi said. “Ils sont en tête de la section, donc c’est un match qu’il faut absolument gagner de ce point de vue là.”
New York must play without key starters, including quarterback Jaxson Dart on offense and linebacker Brian Burns on defense. Despite those absences, the Giants hold the top spot in the division heading into the second half of the season.
McCarthy takes the helm in prime time after being acquired from the Minnesota Vikings in late September. He sustained a right hip injury during Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles but returned to finish the contest.
“L’important, c’est d’être sur le terrain autant que possible,” McCarthy told RDS regarding his availability. “Quoi qu’il arrive, quelles que soient les interprétations que l’on puisse en faire, l’essentiel est d’être sur le terrain avec mes coéquipiers et de faire tout ce que je peux pour aider l’équipe à connaître du succès.”
McCarthy faces a Commanders defense coordinated by Daronte Jones, who previously served as a Minnesota Vikings assistant from 2023 to 2025 under Brian Flores. Washington currently ranks near the bottom of the league in defending the pass.
Mike Sainristil told RDS that preparation relies heavily on reviewing game film and understanding the scheme. “Il suffit de continuer à regarder les vidéos, d’observer ce qui fait, de comprendre comment ils vont l’utiliser dans ce schéma de jeu,” Sainristil said.
Worth a look
