Stefon Diggs (3) celebrates his go-ahead 32-yard touchdown with 57 seconds left at MetLife Stadium, Nov. 12, 2026. Photo by Washington Commanders, resized.Two interceptions, a 12-yard punt and 57 seconds: how the Commanders took Thursday night from the Giants, step by step
The Commanders’ final-score graphic after the 24-21 win over the Giants. Photo by Washington Commanders, resized.24-21
The Commanders beat the Giants 24-21 at MetLife Stadium on Thursday night. Jayden Daniels found Stefon Diggs for a 32-yard touchdown with 57 seconds left, and Rasul Douglas intercepted J.J. McCarthy 23 seconds later.
Washington is 3-5-1. The Giants are 5-3-1 and still lead the NFC East, but the Commanders now hold the head-to-head edge after the teams tied 27-27 in October.
Points by quarter
“It just gives you confidence we can go out there and compete and we can close out a game versus the top dog.”— Jayden Daniels
A Commanders player in the tunnel at MetLife Stadium before kickoff. Photo by Washington Commanders, resized.A scoreless first quarter
Neither team scored in the first quarter. The Giants’ best chance ended when rookie Dominic Zvada missed a 33-yard field goal wide left. Zvada made nine in a row to start his career and is 8 of 14 since.
Washington opened the scoring on the first play of the second quarter with Drew Stevens’ 46-yard field goal.
- Zvada misses from 33 yards. 0-0.
- Stevens, 46-yard field goal. Washington 3-0.
- Cam Skattebo, 1-yard run, at the end of a 16-play, 72-yard drive. Giants 7-3.
- Daniels to Ben Sinnott, 1 yard. Washington 10-7 at the half.
Ben Sinnott hurdles a Giants defender in the first half. Photo by Washington Commanders, resized.Five seconds before the half
Washington answered Skattebo’s touchdown with a nine-play, 67-yard drive in 2:30 and scored with five seconds left in the half on a 1-yard throw to Sinnott, his tight end.
“We felt it. Being able to get another opportunity with the ball in our hands to go win it, it definitely took me back to that season.”— Ben Sinnott, on Daniels’ 2024 rookie comebacks
The Commanders’ graphic after Antonio Williams’ 31-yard touchdown made it 17-14. Photo by Washington Commanders, resized.Trading touchdowns
The third quarter went back and forth. Skattebo scored his second touchdown on a 13-yard run, Daniels hit Antonio Williams for a 31-yard touchdown, and a Malik Nabers fumble at the Washington 16, forced by Frankie Luvu and recovered by Jeremy Reaves, took points away from New York.
Early in the fourth, Washington drove 49 yards in 10 plays, then turned it over on downs at the Giants’ 31. Three plays later McCarthy found Isaiah Likely for a 66-yard touchdown.
- Skattebo, 13-yard run. Giants 14-10.
- Daniels to Williams, 31 yards. Washington 17-14.
- Nabers fumbles at the Washington 16. Reaves recovers.
- Washington turned over on downs at the Giants’ 31.
- McCarthy to Likely, 66 yards. Giants 21-17.
Giants’ chances to win, one live model
Malik Nabers (1) on the field at MetLife Stadium before Thursday night’s game. Photo by New York Giants, resized.Two interceptions and a reversed sneak
Daniels had gone 207 passes this season without an interception. On his 208th, from the Giants’ 24, Jevon Holland picked him off at the goal line. A replay review reversed the touchback and gave New York the ball at its 2.
The Giants needed a first down to keep running clock. On third down Jameis Winston’s quarterback sneak was ruled a first down, Dan Quinn challenged, and the call was reversed. New York punted.
Washington’s next drive stalled at its own 45. On fourth down, with 2:19 left, Daniels’ 211th attempt of the season was intercepted by Ar’Darius Washington at the Washington 46.
Giants’ chances to win, one live model
“Because I stopped him.”— Deatrich Wise, on why Winston’s sneak came up short
Stefon Diggs (3) falls backward into the end zone at the end of his 32-yard touchdown. Photo by Washington Commanders, resized.Four snaps
The Giants started at the Washington 46 and ran three times for 5 yards. Washington used two timeouts. Jordan Stout’s punt went 12 yards and out of bounds at the Washington 29 with 1:54 left.
On the next snap, Deonte Banks was flagged for pass interference on a deep throw to Treylon Burks: 33 yards. Daniels scrambled for 1, threw to Austin Ekeler for 5, and then found Diggs over the middle. Diggs broke open, walked toward the goal line and fell backward into the end zone.
- Stout punts 12 yards, out of bounds at the Washington 29.
- Pass interference on Banks. 33 yards to the Giants’ 38.
- Daniels scramble, 1 yard.
- Daniels to Ekeler, 5 yards.
- Daniels to Diggs, 32 yards, touchdown. Washington 24-21.
Stefon Diggs (3) in the Commanders’ locker room after the win. Photo by Washington Commanders, resized.The last 57 seconds
The Giants still had a chance. Greg Desrosiers Jr. fumbled the kickoff return but Chandler Martin recovered at the New York 31, and McCarthy hit Malachi Fields for 21 yards to the Washington 48.
After two incompletions, McCarthy threw deep for Nabers and Douglas intercepted at the Washington 11 with 34 seconds left. Daniels knelt three times.
“It’s easy to second-guess the final two passes. The pressure was coming. It’s one-on-one outside. I wanted to give my playmaker a chance.”— J.J. McCarthy
Diggs finished with six catches for 83 yards. The touchdown was the 80th receiving touchdown of his career, and he is the 30th player in league history to reach that number.
A Commanders player celebrates in the locker room at MetLife Stadium after the 24-21 win. Photo by Washington Commanders, resized.The numbers, and what is next
The Giants outgained Washington 399 yards to 340 and lost. McCarthy threw for a career-high 293 yards in his first home start since his late-September trade from Minnesota. Likely caught nine passes for 127 yards, and Skattebo ran 18 times for 78 yards and two scores. Daniels went 23 of 33 for 249 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Total yards
Turnovers
“It’s a missed opportunity, certainly, but it doesn’t change things for us. There is still a lot of football to play.”— John Harbaugh
Washington’s season so far, and the next game for each team:
- L 24-22 at Philadelphia.
- L 37-20 at Dallas.
- W 33-31 vs. Seattle.
- L 30-13 vs. Indianapolis.
- T 27-27 vs. the Giants, in overtime.
- L 23-17 at San Francisco.
- W 27-10 vs. Philadelphia.
- L 20-13 vs. the Rams.
- W 24-21 at the Giants. 3-5-1.
- Giants host Jacksonville.
- Commanders host Cincinnati.
Ninety-three percent, then a loss. The Giants had the ball, the lead and a two-minute warning, and Washington still got four snaps it needed. With a tie and a win in their two meetings, the Commanders now own the head-to-head tiebreaker, two games back with eight to play.
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