Opening New York Giants vs Washington Football Team Betting Line Favors Washington by 4.5-Points
- The New York Giants (0-1) visit the Washington Football Team (0-1) to kick-off Week 2 on Thursday Night Football (Sept. 16th, 8:20 pm ET)
- Washington fell to the LA Chargers in Week 1, while the Giants were defeated by the Denver Broncos
- Read below for analysis on which way the line will move ahead of kickoff
The Washington Football team thought they had found stability at the quarterback position by signing Ryan Fitzpatrick. Well, the Fitz-magic experiment lasted less than two quarters in Week 1 before he was forced to leave the game with a hip injury.
At least for now, much like last year’s postseason, Washington will be forced to rely on Taylor Heinicke. The 28-year-old is expected to be under center this week, when the Football Team hosts the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football (Sept. 16, 8:20 pm ET).
Giants vs Washington Opening Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | +175 | +4.5 (-110) | O 42.5 (-110) |
| Washington Football Team | -210 | -4.5 (-110) | U 42.5 (-110) |
Odds as of Sept. 12th at DraftKings.
Despite the Fiztpatrick news and their subsequent 20-16 loss to the LA Chargers, Washington opened as 4.5-point favorites versus its division rival.
Washington QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is believed to have suffered a hip subluxation and he’ll have an MRI tomorrow to determine if that’s the case and how much damage it caused, sources say. The hope is nothing was broken. A serious injury, but they’ll learn how serious tomorrow.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 12, 2021
New York meanwhile, is fresh off a 27-13 defeat to the Denver Broncos. The final score is actually quite flattering as the Giants were dominated. They were outgained by over 100 yards and scored as time expired to keep the score within two touchdowns.
Washington’s Defense Back In the Spotlight
Heinicke finished 11-of-15, for 122 yards and a touchdown in relief of Fitzpatrick, showing glimpses of the exciting form he flashed in last season’s Wild Card Round.
This is one of the most unbelievable catches by @TheTerry_25. And a dime by Taylor Heinicke. pic.twitter.com/R8ngxWdNUp
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) September 12, 2021
He led a pair of scoring drives, including a touchdown pass to Logan Thomas, but the offense was mostly ineffective thanks to penalties and a costly turnover. After forcing a fumble deep in their own territory with a 16-13 lead, Antonio Gibson gave the ball right back to LA on the next play, leading to the game-winning touchdown.
Washington managed only 259 total yards all day, and kept themselves in the game with a strong defensive performance. They held the high powered Chargers to 20 points, forcing two turnovers, and recording a pair of sacks.
Defense was their calling card last year, ranking second in total defense and fourth in points allowed, and will be leaned upon heavily with Fitzpatrick down.
Washington has a massive advantage over New York in the trenches in Week 2, as the Giants offensive line ranked dead last in pass blocking last season.
An Uninspiring Effort
New York’s offensive line didn’t look much better on Sunday, allowing two sacks, and generating little push in the run game. Saquon Barkley, making his return from an ACL tear, ran for just 26 yards on 10 carries, while Daniel Jones ended up as the team’s leading rusher.
The Giants lost the time of possession battle by over 10 minutes, and converted only 6-of-12 third down opportunities. Defensively, they yielded 420 yards, including 165 on the ground highlighted by this long Melvin Gordon touchdown run.
HE. COULD. GO. ALL. THE. WAY. @Melvingordon25 | 📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/DfTN3Dnyct
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 12, 2021
New York was Pro Football Focus’ sixth lowest graded tackling team in 2020, and present a favorable matchup for Gibson on Thursday, who’ll be desperate to make amends for his costly fumble.
On the injury front, the Giants were without Evan Engram due to a calf injury, and his status remains in question for Thursday.
Expect A Slight Move Towards New York
The lookahead line for this game prior to Week 1 was Washington -3, so it comes as a bit of a surprise that the line opened at 4.5 following Sunday’s afternoon contests. Heinicke under center is a downgrade from Fitzpatrick, and early bettors will see value on New York at this number.
Washington QBs by week since 2020:
2020:
1-4: Dwayne Haskins
5: Kyle Allen & Alex Smith
6-7: Allen
9: Allen & Smith
10-13: Smith
14: Smith & Haskins
15: Haskins
16: Haskins & Taylor Heinicke
17: Smith
18: Heinicke2021:
1: Ryan Fitzpatrick & Heinicke
2: Heinicke— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 12, 2021
The Giants took both games from Washington, the eventual NFC East winner, last season and have won five straight in the series dating back to 2018.
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
