The New York Giants are in desperate need of a bounce-back win in Week 2 after suffering an embarrassing defeat at home in the season opener. The Giants underperformed at several key positions in Week 1, including their defensive line which was expected to be the backbone of the team’s success.
Third-year pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux drew criticism for his lackluster performance in Week 1 and was asked about the upcoming game against the Washington Commanders. This Week 2 clash will be the first division-rival matchup for the Giants, however, Thibodeaux doesn’t see it that way.
Giants vs. Commanders is not much of a rivalry, says Kayvon Thibodeaux
When asked about facing the Commanders on Sunday, Thibodeaux told the media that he does not view the team as a rival (h/t SNYGiants on X):
“Washington, they’re not really a rival… they’re in our same division, so it’s always a great game. I’m excited, Jayden Daniels is a great QB.”
Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels was selected by the Washington Commanders with the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft. The Heisman Trophy winner had an impressive debut in Week 1, completing 70% of his passes for 184 yards and rushing for 88 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Containing Daniels will be chief among Thibodeaux and the Giants’ objectives in Week 2 from a defensive standpoint.
Since Thibodeaux was drafted, the Giants have gone an unbeaten 3-0-1 against the Commanders. Their most recent clash was a 30–19 win for Big Blue last season.
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Thibodeaux has a good track record against the Commanders. In four career games against Washington, he’s racked up 26 combined tackles, seven tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. He has been a Big Blue Wrecking Crew whenever he has faced off against Washington.
Among those four matchups is a stellar performance from the 2022 season in which Thibodeaux totaled 12 combined tackles, one sack, one forced fumble that he recovered and turned into a touchdown, and a game-saving goal-line stop. The Giants need another vintage Thibodeaux performance like that in Week 2.
