Giants cough up chance to command NFC East in 24-21 loss to Commanders

Pat Leonard, New York Daily News on Nov 12, 2026

Published in Football

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — J.J. McCarthy fired a laser beam touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely, and safeties Jevon Holland and Ar’Darius Washington both intercepted Washington Jayden Daniels, all in Thursday night’s fourth quarter.

But Daniels and the Commanders got the last laugh, downing the Giants, 24-21, at MetLife Stadium on a 32-yard Daniels touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs with 57 seconds remaining.

Rasul Douglas’ interception of McCarthy with 25 seconds to play snapped the Giants’ two-game winning streak, dropped John Harbaugh’s team to 5-3-1 and let a commanding grip on the NFC East slip through New York’s grasp.

Washington (3-5-1) is now off the mat. And the Dallas Cowboys (4-5) are nipping at the Giants’ heels and hosting the San Francisco 49ers (7-1) on Sunday.

McCarthy threw for a career high 293 passing yards and gave the Giants a lead 21-17 on a 66-yard TD pass to Likely with 8:13 remaining in the fourth quarter. Holland and Washington both picked off Daniels in the fourth, and Washington also forced a fourth down stop and a Commanders turnover on downs.

But the Giants’ offense failed to finish the game. Punter Jordan Stout shanked a kick 12 yards. And Deonte Banks was tagged with a 33-yard pass interference penalty while guarding Treylon Burks and then the 32-yard TD pass to Diggs in man coverage.

The Giants had come out of halftime down three playing their best ball.

Shelby Harris sacked Daniels to force a Washington punt immediately out of the break. McCarthy hit rookie receiver Malachi Fields for a 25-yard gain deep into Washington territory.

Then Cam Skattebo scored his second TD of the game on a well-blocked 13-yard toss to the right. New York led, 14-10, with 10:22 to play in the third quarter.

But Daniels answered quickly with a 6-play, 77-yard TD drive, capped by a 31-yard TD pass to wide receiver Antonio Williams against Holland.

Malik Nabers was held to only five catches for 44 yards. He lost a fumble at Washington’s 20-yard line in the third quarter. And Likely and Theo Johnson both dropped passes. Nabers was targeted on McCarthy’s prayer, jump ball interception on the final offensive play.

The Giants trailed 10-7 at halftime despite Skattebo scoring his first touchdown of the game to give the hosts a 7-3 lead with 2:35 remaining in the second quarter.

Daniels hit Washington tight end Ben Sinnott for a 1-yard touchdown pass with five seconds remaining in the half, capping a nine-play, 64-yard drive.

The Commanders needed that after McCarthy had commanded a 16-play, 72-yard scoring drive that spanned seven minutes and 48 seconds to put New York ahead.

The quarterback scrambled twice for a total of 19 yards on the drive and handed to Skattebo for the 1-yard TD and the home team’s first lead.

The game should have been tied at halftime, at least. But rookie kicker Dominic Zvada missed a 33-yard field goal with 4:04 to play in the first quarter.

Instead of the Giants leading 3-0 early, Washington’s Drew Stevens put the visitors up 3-0 when he connected from 46 yards with 14:07 remaining in the second quarter.

Harbaugh was careful with his kicker to start the game even before he missed.

The Giants’ coach took the ball after winning the coin toss but turned down a 56-yard field-goal attempt and decided to punt and pin Washington back in its own end instead.

And the Giants lost by three.