Commanders Beat Giants 24-21 on Stefon Diggs' Late Touchdown After Fourth-Quarter Chaos

The Washington Commanders beat the New York Giants 24-21 on Thursday Night Football at MetLife Stadium. Jayden Daniels hit Stefon Diggs for a 32-yard touchdown with 57 seconds left, and Rasul Douglas intercepted J.J. McCarthy two plays later to seal it.

Washington moved to 3-5-1 and won on the road for the first time this season, five weeks after these teams played to a 27-27 tie in Landover. The Giants fell to 5-3-1. They still lead the NFC East over the 4-5 Cowboys, with Washington now two games back in the loss column instead of three. Severe weather delayed warmups and cleared the stands and field, but kickoff stayed at 8:15 p.m. ET once the storms moved through.

A missed kick, then the first points

New York reached the Washington 37 on the opening drive and punted after a delay-of-game penalty. The next series was a better chance: Cam Skattebo turned a short catch into 34 yards down to the Washington 21, but the Giants stalled at the 15, and Dominic Zvada missed a 33-yard field goal wide left.

Washington answered with an 11-play, 49-yard drive. A 20-yard completion to Treylon Burks moved the Commanders into Giants territory, and Drew Stevens made a 46-yarder at 14:07 of the second quarter for a 3-0 lead.

Skattebo puts the Giants in front, then Sinnott answers

The Giants went 16 plays and 72 yards the other way. McCarthy converted a third-and-5 to Darnell Mooney and scrambled for 11, and New York brought in Jameis Winston for a 1-yard sneak on fourth-and-1 at the Washington 30. Skattebo, back after the hamstring injury that kept him out against Philadelphia, finished it from a yard out at 2:35 of the second, and he threw in a backflip. Zvada's extra point made it 7-3.

Daniels needed 2:30 to answer. He hit Diggs for 30 yards to the New York 29, found Ben Sinnott for 12, and Rachaad White ran twice down to the 1. After an incomplete throw to Diggs, Daniels hit Sinnott in the middle of the end zone on third-and-1 with 5 seconds left. Stevens' kick sent Washington into halftime up 10-7.

The lead keeps changing

The third quarter opened with a sack. Shelby Harris dropped Daniels for a 14-yard loss, and Tress Way had to punt from the Washington 6. New York took over at midfield and needed five plays: McCarthy hit Malachi Fields for 25, and Skattebo scored from 13 yards out at 10:22. The Giants led 14-10.

Washington went 77 yards in six plays. Sinnott picked up 24 on first down, and on third-and-1 from the New York 31, Daniels found Antonio Williams for a 31-yard touchdown, Williams' second career score. It was 17-14 with 6:56 left in the third.

The Giants were driving to answer — Malik Nabers had just picked up 37 yards — when Frankie Luvu forced a fumble at the Washington 16. Jeremy Reaves recovered at the 20.

Washington went three-and-out and couldn't cash in the takeaway. New York reached the Washington 46 early in the fourth and punted into the end zone.

Fourth-quarter chaos

The Commanders had a chance to put the game away. White's 18-yard run moved them to the New York 39, but the drive stalled at the 30, and Daniels' fourth-and-1 throw to Diggs fell incomplete, with Ar'Darius Washington in coverage.

Three plays later, McCarthy hit Isaiah Likely for a 66-yard touchdown. Zvada's kick made it 21-17 with 8:13 left.

A kickoff out of bounds spotted Washington at its 40, and Daniels drove back into Giants territory. From the New York 24, he threw deep for Chig Okonkwo, and Jevon Holland intercepted it at the 2. A replay review overturned the original touchback ruling, and New York took over there.

The Giants could not get a first down. Winston was stuffed on third-and-1 — a Washington challenge overturned the original spot — and a delay of game made it fourth-and-5 from the 7. Jordan Stout punted 68 yards, and Luke McCaffrey returned it 12 yards to the Washington 37.

Daniels went for it again on fourth-and-2 from his own 45, and Washington picked off the throw intended for Okonkwo at the 46. New York ran into the two-minute warning, then McCarthy was stopped for a 2-yard loss on third-and-3. Stout's next punt traveled only 12 yards, out of bounds at the Washington 29, with 1:46 left.

Deonte Banks was called for a 33-yard defensive pass interference on a deep throw to Burks, moving Washington to the New York 38. After a scramble and a short completion to Austin Ekeler, Daniels hit Diggs in stride on third-and-4 for the 32-yard go-ahead score with 57 seconds remaining. Stevens' extra point made it 24-21.

Greg Desrosiers Jr. fumbled the kickoff, and Chandler Martin recovered for New York at its 31. McCarthy hit Fields for 21 yards to the Washington 48, then, after two incompletions, went down the middle for Nabers. Douglas intercepted it at the Washington 11 with 34 seconds left.

The numbers

Daniels was 23 of 33 for 249 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, sacked once for 14 yards, and added 28 rushing yards on 10 carries. Diggs had six catches for 83 yards and the winner on 10 targets. Sinnott caught four passes for 42 yards and a score, and Williams had two for 42 and a score. White ran 11 times for 47 yards. Stevens made his only field-goal try, from 46 yards, and all three extra points.

McCarthy, who was expected to play through a hip pointer, was 23 of 36 for 293 yards with a touchdown and an interception, sacked once for 10 yards by Odafe Oweh, and ran six times for 34 yards. Likely had nine catches for 127 yards and the long score on 11 targets. Skattebo ran 18 times for 78 yards and two touchdowns and added three catches for 44. Fields had three receptions for 62 yards. Nabers finished with five catches for 44 yards and the lost fumble. Zvada missed his only field-goal try, from 33 yards, and made all three extra points.

New York outgained Washington 399-340 and averaged 6.2 yards per play to the Commanders' 5.2. The Giants went 4 of 12 on third down, 1 of 1 on fourth (the Winston sneak) and 2 of 4 in the red zone. Washington went 7 of 14 on third down, 0 of 2 on fourth and 1 of 1 in the red zone, the Sinnott touchdown; the Williams and Diggs scores both came from outside the 20. Time of possession was nearly even, 30:22 to 29:38, and each team turned it over twice. The Giants were flagged six times for 62 yards, including the 33-yard pass-interference penalty that set up the winner; Washington was flagged four times for 17. Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese each led their defenses with 13 tackles.

Injuries

Okonkwo left with a back injury, was listed as questionable, and returned in the third quarter. He still finished with four catches and was the intended target on both of Daniels' interceptions. Kayvon Thibodeaux and White both left in the fourth and later returned. Giants linebacker Malik Harrison was inactive with a groin injury. Washington was again without Terry McLaurin, who is on injured reserve.

What's next

The Giants host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Nov. 22, in a game flexed to 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS. The Commanders host the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football, Nov. 23 (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN).