Commanders–Giants rivalry explained

Commanders–Giants rivalry
Team1:	Washington Commanders
Team2:	New York Giants
Team1logo:	WashingtonCommanders wordmark.svg
Team2logo:	New York Giants wordmark.svg
First Contested:	October 9, 1932 Braves 14, Giants 6^[1]
Mostrecent:	November 3, 2024 Commanders 27, Giants 22
Nextmeeting:	2025
Total:	186
Series:	Giants: 108–73–5
Regularseason:	Giants: 107–72–5
Postseason:	Tie: 1–1
Largestvictory:	Commanders: 49–13 Giants: 53–0
Longeststreak:	Commanders: 11 (1971–1976) Giants: 8 (1961–1964)
Currentstreak:	Commanders: 1 (2024–present)
Section Header:	Post-season history

The Commanders–Giants rivalry, formerly known as the Giants–Redskins rivalry, is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Washington Commanders and New York Giants.

It began in 1932 with the founding of Washington's predecessors, the Boston Braves, and is the oldest rivalry in the NFC East Division. This rivalry has seen periods of great competition such as the Giants and Redskins' competition for conference and division titles in the late 1930s, early 1940s and 1980s. Experts deem the 1980s as the most hotly contested period between these teams, as the Redskins under Joe Gibbs and the Giants under Bill Parcells competed for division titles and Super Bowls.^[2] During this span the two teams combined to win 7 NFC East Divisional Titles, 5 Super Bowls and competed in the 1986 NFC Championship Game with the Giants winning 17–0. This rivalry is storied and Wellington Mara, long time owner of the Giants, always said that he believed the Redskins were the Giants' truest rival.^[3] ^[4]

The Giants lead the overall series, 108–73–5. The two teams have met twice in the playoffs, winning one each.^[1]

Notable rivalry moments

In 1937, their first season in Washington, D.C., the Washington Redskins were set to meet the New York Giants in the season finale in New York City at the Polo Grounds with the winner earning the right to play in the NFL Championship. The owner of the Washington Redskins, George Preston Marshall, loaded 12,000 fans and a 150 piece marching band onto trains and had them march an impromptu parade through New York City, all the while belting out "Hail to the Redskins". The tactic appeared to work as the Redskins went on to beat the Giants 49–14, going on to defeat the Chicago Bears in the 1937 NFL Championship.^[3]
The Giants paid the Redskins back in 1938 with a 36–0 victory of their own, a win which propelled them to their own victory in the 1938 NFL Championship.^[3]
In 1939 the Giants and Redskins again met in the last game of the season. Having tied in their first meeting 0–0 and having identical records (8–1–1) the two teams were playing for a spot in the NFL Championship game. The game was very competitive and the Redskins trailed 9–7 in the final moments. The Redskins attempted a field goal in the last seconds, seemingly giving them a victory. However, the field goal was called no good allowing the Giants to escape with a victory. The Redskins were irate, with one player even punching referee Bill Haloran. The outcome was so controversial that rumor has it George Preston Marshall, the Redskins owner, tried to pull strings to get Haloran fired from his day job as post master of Providence R.I., unsuccessfully. The Giants went on to lose the NFL Championship to the Green Bay Packers 27–0.^[3]
On November 27, 1966 the Giants and Redskins participated in the highest combined scoring game in NFL history. The two teams combined for 16 touchdowns, 9 of which were of 30 yards or more. While the game was an offensive frenzy, the most memorable score was a Redskins field goal attempted with a few seconds remaining and the Giants trailing 69–41. Otto Graham, the Redskins head coach, claimed it was called merely to allow his kicker practice, but some claim that the field goal was ordered by Redskins middle linebacker and former Giant Sam Huff out of spite. In either case the final score was 72–41 and with 113 combined points the matchup remains the highest scoring game in league history.^[3]
On November 18, 1985 in a Monday Night Football contest, the Redskins defeated the Giants 23–21. However, the win did not come without a loss as on one play the Redskins ran a flea-flicker, the Giants defense was not fooled by the play and Lawrence Taylor came from the outside and sacked quarterback Joe Theismann. The play is famous as that the sack injured Theismann's leg and effectively ended his career in the NFL. The Redskins missed the playoffs that season.
The Giants and Redskins met in the playoffs for only second time in the 1986 NFC Championship game. The Giants were coming off a convincing victory over the 49ers in the previous round while the Redskins beat the Bears in the previous week. On a cold and windy day at Giants Stadium, the Giants scored 10 points in the first 10 minutes of the game and never were threatened. The Giants won 17-0, the first time a Joe Gibbs team had been shut out.
On September 11, 2011 was opening day for the Giants' Super Bowl XLVI championship season of 2011. It also coincided with tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks; hence the NFL scheduled the Giants and the Redskins to meet that day, as the cities they represent were two metropolitan areas attacked on that day. FedExField was a patriotically and emotionally charged atmosphere as the two rivals took the field. Led by Eli Manning, the Giants took an early 7–0 lead in the first quarter. Washington responded on a Tim Hightower touchdown run in the second. The two teams took a 14–14 tie into halftime. Washington took the lead in the third after Ryan Kerrigan intercepted a pass from Manning and scored. Washington's defense prevented New York from scoring in the second half and the Redskins ended a six-game losing streak to the Giants.^[5] The Redskins defeated the Giants at MetLife Stadium in Week 15, their first season sweep of the Giants since 1999.^[6]
In 2012 the rivalry intensified significantly after a special NFL commission headed by Giants owner John Mara imposed a $36 million salary cap penalty on the Redskins (and a smaller one on the Dallas Cowboys) for the organization's approach to structuring contracts in the 2010 NFL season. After beating the Giants, Redskins owner Daniel Snyder within earshot of numerous media personnel, told a team employee that "I hate those motherf***ers" in the victorious locker room after the game. ^[7]
On September 25, 2016, the winless Redskins visited the undefeated Giants. This game was significant due to the ongoing feud between star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and cornerback Josh Norman. In the previous season, Norman and Beckham had many on-field scrums during a game when Norman played for the Carolina Panthers. The Redskins won by a score of 29–27, sealing the win on an interception by Su'a Cravens. Beckham had an impressive 7 receptions and 121 yards, but was noticeably frustrated by Norman, and was especially apparent when he took his helmet and hit the kicker's practice net on the sidelines, causing it to fall on him. Giants center Weston Richburg was the first to ever be ejected by the new rule of being ejected after two unsportsmanlike penalties, one of which cost Beckham and the Giants a significant play.
On November 23, 2017, the Redskins hosted the Giants in their first home Thanksgiving game in franchise history. The game was very defensive throughout, with both teams struggling to get anything going offensively in the first half. In the 3rd quarter, with the game tied 3–3, Kirk Cousins threw a 15-yard touchdown to Jamison Crowder to give the Redskins a 10–3 lead. The Giants tied the game later in the quarter after Janoris Jenkins returned a Cousins' interception 53-yards for a touchdown. The Redskins pulled away late in the fourth quarter with 10 straight points to win 20–10.
The Giants got their 100th regular season victory over the Redskins on December 9, 2018, winning 40–16 at FedExField.^[8]
On September 15, 2024, the Giants became the first team in NFL history to score three touchdowns, allow no touchdowns and lose in regulation, by a score of 21–18 to the Commanders.^[9]

Season-by-season results

|-| | style="| | Tie
0–0| style="| Braves
14–6| Braves
1–0–1| Braves join the NFL as an expansion team.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
7–0| style="| Redskins
21–20| Redskins
2–1–1| Braves change their name to "Redskins".
Both teams are placed in the NFL Eastern division as the league splits into two divisions.
Giants lose 1933 NFL Championship.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
3–0| style="| Giants
16–3| Giants
3–2–1| Giants win 1934 NFL Championship.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
17–6| style="| Giants
20–12| Giants
5–2–1| Giants lose 1935 NFL Championship.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Redskins
14–0| style="| Giants
7–0| Giants
6–3–1| Last season Reskins played as a Boston-based team.
Redskins lose 1936 NFL Championship.|-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
49–14| style="| Redskins
13–3| Giants
6–5–1| Redskins relocate to Washington D.C.
In New York, Redskins clinch the Eastern Division and eliminate the Giants from playoff contention with their win.
Redskins win 1937 NFL Championship.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
36–0| style="| Giants
10–7| Giants
8–5–1| Giants win 1938 NFL Championship.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
9–7| Tie
0–0| Giants
9–5–2| Giants clinch the Eastern Division and eliminate the Redskins from playoff contention with their win.
Giants lose 1939 NFL Championship.|-|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
21–7| style="| Redskins
21–7| Giants
10–6–2| Redskins lose 1940 NFL Championship.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
20–13| style="| Giants
17–0| Giants
12–6–2| Giants lose 1941 NFL Championship.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Redskins
14–7| style="| Giants
14–7| Giants
13–7–2| Redskins win 1942 NFL Championship.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
14–10| style="| Giants
31–7| Giants
15–7–2| Both teams finished with 6–3–1 records, setting up a tiebreaker playoff game.|- style="background:#f2f2f2; font-weight:bold;"| 1943 Playoffs| style="| | style="| Redskins
28–0| | Giants
15–8–2| First postseason meeting. NFL Eastern Division.
Redskins go on to lose 1943 NFL Championship.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
16–13| style="| Giants
31–0| Giants
17–8–2| Giants lose 1944 NFL Championship.|-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
24–14| style="| Redskins
17–0| Giants
17–10–2| Redskins lose 1945 NFL Championship.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
31–0| style="| Redskins
24–14| Giants
18–11–2| Giants lose 1946 NFL Championship.
From 1933–1946, either the Giants or Redskins won the NFL Eastern Division.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
35–10| style="| Redskins
28–20| Giants
19–12–2| |-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
28–21| style="| Redskins
41–10| Giants
19–14–2| |-| | style="| | style="| Giants
23–7| style="| Giants
45–35| Giants
21–14–2| |-|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
24–21| style="| Giants
21–17| Giants
23–14–2| As a result of the AAFC–NFL merger, the Giants and Redskins are placed in the NFL American Conference (later renamed the NFL Eastern Conference in the 1953 season.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
28–14| style="| Giants
35–14| Giants
25–14–2| |-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Redskins
27–17| style="| Giants
14–10| Giants
26–15–2| |-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
24–21| style="| Redskins
13–9| Giants
26–17–2| |-| | style="| | style="| Giants
24–7| style="| Giants
51–21| Giants
28–17–2 | |-| | style="| | style="| Giants
35–7| style="| Giants
27–20| Giants
30–17–2 | |-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
28–14| style="| Redskins
33–7| Giants
31–18–2 | Giants move to Yankee Stadium.
Giants win 1956 NFL Championship.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Redskins
31–14| style="| Giants
24–20| Giants
32–19–2 | |-| | style="| | style="| Giants
30–0| style="| Giants
28–14| Giants
34–19–2 | Giants lose 1958 NFL Championship.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
45–14| style="| Giants
24–10| Giants
36–19–2 | Giants lose 1959 NFL Championship.|-|-| | style="| | Tie
24–24| style="| Giants
17–3| Giants
37–19–3 | |-| | style="| | style="| Giants
53–0| style="| Giants
24–21| Giants
39–19–3 | Redskins open D.C. Stadium (now known as Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium).
In New York, Giants record their largest victory over the Redskins with a 53–point differential and score their most points in a game against the Redskins.
Giants lose 1961 NFL Championship.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
49–34| style="| Giants
42–24| Giants
41–19–3 | Giants lose 1962 NFL Championship.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
44–14| style="| Giants
24–14| Giants
43–19–3 | Giants lose 1963 NFL Championship.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
13–10| style="| Redskins
36–21| Giants
44–20–3 | Giants win eight straight meetings (1960–1964).|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Redskins
23–7| style="| Giants
27–10| Giants
45–21–3 | |-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
13–10| style="| Redskins
72–41| Giants
46–22–3 | In Washington, Redskins set an NFL record for most points scored by one team and the game's final score is the highest-scoring game in NFL history (113 points).|-| | style="| | no game| style="| Redskins
38–34| Giants
46–23–3 | NFL expansion results in a split of each conference into two divisions. The Redskins are placed in the Capitol Division, while the Giants and New Orleans Saints alternate between the Capitol and Century Divisions each year. This resulted in only a single meeting between the Giants and Redskins in 1967 and 1969.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
48–21| style="| Giants
13–10| Giants
48–23–3 | |-| | style="| | no game| style="| Redskins
20–14| Giants
48–24–3 | |-|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
35–33| style="| Giants
27–24| Giants
50–24–3 | As a result of the AFL–NFL merger, the Giants and Redskins are placed in the National Football Conference (NFC) and the NFC East, once again becoming divisional rivals.|-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
30–3| style="| Redskins
23–7| Giants
50–26–3| |-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
23–16| style="| Redskins
27–13| Giants
50–28–3| Redskins lose Super Bowl VII.|-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
21–3| style="| Redskins
27–24| Giants
50–30–3| Due to renovations at Yankee Stadium, Giants temporarily play at Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut|-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
13–10| style="| Redskins
24–3| Giants
50–32–3| Giants home was played at Yale Bowl.|-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
21–13| style="| Redskins
49–13| Giants
50–34–3| Giants home game was played at Shea Stadium in New York.
In Washington, Redskins record their largest victory over the Giants with a 36–point differential.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
12–9| style="| Redskins
19–17| Giants
51–35–3| Giants open Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Redskins win 11 straight meetings (1971–1976).|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
20–17| style="| Giants
17–6| Giants
53–35–3 | |-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
17–6| style="| Redskins
16–13(OT)| Giants
54–36–3| |-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
14–6| style="| Redskins
27–0| Giants
55–37–3| |-|-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
23–21| style="| Redskins
16–13| Giants
55–39–3| |-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Redskins
30–27(OT)| style="| Giants
17–7| Giants
56–40–3||-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
27–17| style="| Redskins
15–14| Giants
56–42–3| Both games played despite players strike reducing the season to 9 games.
Redskins win Super Bowl XVII.|-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
33–17| style="| Redskins
31-22| Giants
56–44–3| Redskins lose Super Bowl XVIII.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
37–13| style="| Redskins
30–14| Giants
57–45–3| |-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
17–3| style="| Redskins
23–21| Giants
58–46–3| Both teams finished with 10–6 records, but the Giants clinched a playoff berth based on a better conference record, thereby eliminating the Redskins from playoff contention.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
27–10| style="| Giants
24–14| Giants
60–46–3 | Giants win Super Bowl XXI.|- style="background:#f2f2f2; font-weight:bold;"| 1986 Playoffs| style="| | style="| Giants
17–0| | Giants
61–46–3 | Second postseason meeting. NFC Championship Game.
Giants go on to win Super Bowl XXI.|-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
38–12| style="| Redskins
23–19| Giants
61–48–3| Redskins win Super Bowl XXII.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
27–20| style="| Giants
24–23| Giants
63–48–3 | |-| | style="| | style="| Giants
20–17| style="| Giants
27–24| Giants
65–48–3 | |-|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
21–10| style="| Giants
24–20| Giants
67–48–3 | Giants win Super Bowl XXV.|-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
17–13| style="| Redskins
34–17| Giants
67–50–3| Redskins win Super Bowl XXVI.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Redskins
28–10| style="| Giants
24–7| Giants
68–51–3| |-| | style="| | style="| Giants
20–6| style="| Giants
41–7| Giants
70–51–3| |-| | style="| | style="| Giants
31–23| style="| Giants
21–19| Giants
72–51–3| |-| | style="| | style="| Giants
20–13| style="| Giants
24–15| Giants
74–51–3| |-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
31–10| style="| Redskins
31–21| Giants
74–53–3| |-| | style="| | style="| Giants
30–10| Tie
7–7(OT)| Giants
75–53–4| Redskins open Jack Kent Cooke Stadium (now known as Northwest Stadium).
First tie game in the series since the 1974 introduction of overtime.
Giants clinch the NFC East with their win.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
31–24| style="| Redskins
21–14| Giants
76–54–4| |-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
50–21| style="| Redskins
23–13| Giants
76–56–4| |-|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Redskins
16–6| style="| Giants
9–7| Giants
77–57–4| Giants lose Super Bowl XXXV.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
23–9| style="| Redskins
35–21| Giants
78–58–4| |-| | style="| | style="| Giants
19–17| style="| Giants
27–21| Giants
80–58–4| |-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Redskins
20–7| style="| Giants
24–21(OT)| Giants
81–59–4| |-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
20–14| style="| Redskins
31–7| Giants
82–60–4| Giants draft QB Eli Manning.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
36–0| style="| Redskins
35–20| Giants
83–61–4||-| | style="| | style="| Giants
19–3| style="| Giants
34–28| Giants
85–61–4||-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Redskins
23–10| style="| Giants
24–17| Giants
86–62–4| Giants win Super Bowl XLII.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
16–7| style="| Giants
23–7| Giants
88–62–4| Game in New York was the NFL Kickoff Game.|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
23–17| style="| Giants
45–12| Giants
90–62–4| |-|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
31–7| style="| Giants
17–14| Giants
92–62–4| Giants open New Meadowlands Stadium (now known as MetLife Stadium).|-| | style="| | style="| Redskins
23–10| style="| Redskins
28–14| Giants
92–64–4| Redskins sweep the season series against the Giants for the first time since the 1999 season.
Giants win Super Bowl XLVI.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
27–23| style="| Redskins
17–16| Giants
93–65–4| |-| | style="| | style="| Giants
20–6| style="| Giants
24–17| Giants
95–65–4| |-| | style="| | style="| Giants
24–13| style="| Giants
45–14| Giants
97–65–4| |-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
32–21| style="| Redskins
20–14| Giants
98–66–4| |-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Redskins
29–27| style="| Giants
19–10| Giants
99–67–4| Giants eliminate the Redskins from playoff contention with their win.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Giants
18–10| style="| Redskins
20–10| Giants
100–68–4| Game in Washington was played on Thanksgiving.
Giants record their 100th win over the Redskins, becoming only the second team in NFL history to record 100 wins over a single opponent (joining the Green Bay Packers, who defeated the Detroit Lions 100 times).|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Redskins
20–13| style="| Giants
40–16| Giants
101–69–4| |-| | style="| | style="| Giants
24–3| style="| Giants
41–35(OT)| Giants
103–69–4| Final season for Giants' QB Eli Manning.|-|-| | style="| | style="| Giants
20–19| style="| Giants
23–20| Giants
105–69–4| After decades of controversy, Washington retires the "Redskins" name and temporarily adopted the title "Washington Football Team".|-| | style="| | style="| Washington
22–7| style="| Washington
30–29| Giants
105–71–4| In Washington, Washington's K Dustin Hopkins missed the game-winning field goal, but a Giants offside gave him another chance, which he successfully made.
Washington sweeps the season series against the Giants for the first time since the 2011 season.|-| | style="| | Tie
20–20(OT)| style="| Giants
20–12| Giants
106–71–5| Washington Football Team adopts the "Commanders" name.|- | | style="| | style="| Giants
14–7| style="| Giants
31–19| Giants
108–71–5| |- | | style="| | style="| Commanders
27–22| style="| Commanders
21–18| Giants
108–73–5| |- |-| Regular season| style="|Giants, 107–73–5| style="| Giants, 57–31–3| style="| Giants, 50–41–2||-| Postseason| Tie 1–1| Tie 1–1| no games| NFL Eastern Division: 1943
NFC Championship: 1986|-| Regular and postseason | style="|Giants, 108–72–5| style="| Giants, 58–31–3| style="| Giants, 50–41–3| Giants have a 3–2 record in Boston.
Redskins/Commanders have a 2–0 record at Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut (1973), (1974), both accounted for as Giants' home games.|-

Notes and References

Web site: All Matchups, Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants . Pro Football Reference.
Web site: DeArdo . Bryan . July 1, 2020 . NFL Throwback Thursday: Browns-Broncos among the classic rivalries during the 1980s . 2022-08-30 . CBSSports.com . en.
News: Top 10 Moments in the Giants-Redskins Rivalry . The New York Times . Greg . Hanlon . November 30, 2008.
Web site: Doug Farrar . Dan Snyder's profane joy in Redskins win based on salary cap penalties . Sports.yahoo.com . 2012-12-04 . 2016-08-09.
Web site: For Openers, Redskins Defeat Giants 28–14. September 11, 2011. Gary. Fitzgerald. Redskins.com. October 2, 2011. April 4, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120404113006/http://www.redskins.com/news-and-events/article-1/For-Openers-Redskins-Defeat-Giants-28-14/1f181445-a09f-46be-aad9-59a2a43b20a0. dead.
News: Redskins/NFL . The Washington Post . Mike . Jones . December 19, 2011.
Web site: Doug Farrar . Dan Snyder's profane joy in Redskins win based on salary cap penalties . Sports.yahoo.com . 2012-12-04 . 2016-08-09.
News: Giants blow out Redskins 40-16: Studs, duds, and studly duds . Giants Wire . Dan . Benton . December 9, 2018.
Web site: Schwartz . Paul . Giants doomed by kicker calamity in absurd last-second loss to Commanders . New York Post . 17 September 2024.

Commanders–Giants rivalry explained

Notable rivalry moments

Season-by-season results

See also

Notes and References