Commanders–Giants rivalry

The Commanders–Giants rivalry between the Washington Commanders, formerly known as the Redskins, and the New York Giants of the National Football League 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.^[4] 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.^[5]

Commanders–Giants rivalry

Washington Commanders New York Giants
Location	Washington, D.C., New York City
First meeting	October 9, 1932 Braves 14, Giants 6
Latest meeting	November 19, 2023 Giants 31, Commanders 19
Next meeting	2024
Statistics
Meetings total	183 meetings^[1]
All-time series	Giants, 108–71–5^[1]
Postseason results	Tie, 1–1^[1] Most recent: January 11, 1987 Giants 17, Redskins 0
Largest victory	Commanders: 49-13 (1975) Giants: 53-0 (1961)
Longest win streak	Commanders: 11 (1971-1976) Giants: 8 (1961-1964)
Current win streak	Giants, 3 (2022-present)
Championship success
NFL Championships (6) (1933-1969) Commanders (2) – 1937, 1942 Giants (4) – 1927, 1934, 1938, 1956 Super Bowl Championships (7) Commanders (3) – 1982, 1987, 1991 Giants (4) – 1986, 1990, 2007, 2011 Super Bowl Appearances (10)^[2] Commanders (5) – 1972, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1991 Giants (5) – 1986, 1990, 2000, 2007, 2011 NFL Eastern Championships (6) (1933—1969) Commanders (0) – None Giants (6) – 1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963 NFC Championships (10) Commanders^[3] (5) – 1972, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1991 Giants (5) – 1986, 1990, 2000, 2007, 2011 NFC Championship Game Appearances (11) Commanders (6) – 1972, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1991 Giants (5) – 1986, 1990, 2000, 2007, 2011 NFL Eastern Division Championships (14) (1933—1969) Commanders (6) – 1936, 1937, 1940, 1942, 1943, 1945 Giants (8) – 1933, 1934, 1935, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1944, 1946 NFC East Division Championships (18) Commanders (10) – 1972, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1991, 1999, 2012, 2015, 2020 Giants (8) – 1986, 1989, 1990, 1997, 2000, 2005, 2008, 2011 NFL Wild Card Berths (22) (1933–1969) Commanders (6) – 1936, 1937, 1940, 1942, 1943, 1945 Giants (16) – 1933, 1934, 1935, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1950, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963 NFC Wild Card Berths (18) (1970–present) Commanders (9) – 1971, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1986, 1990, 1992, 2005, 2007 Giants (9) – 1981, 1984, 1985, 1993, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2016, 2022

150km
100miles

Giants

Commanders

  

Locations of the Washington Commanders and New York Giants

As of 2023, the Giants have 107 regular season wins against Washington, the most wins any team in NFL history against one team.^[6][7]

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.^[5]
• 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.^[5]
• 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.^[5]
• 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.^[5]
• 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.^[8] The Redskins defeated the Giants at MetLife Stadium in Week 15, their first season sweep of the Giants since 1999.^[9]
• 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. ^[10]
• 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 costed 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.^[11]

Game results

New York Giants vs. Washington Redskins/Football Team/Commanders Season-by-Season Results
1930s (Giants, 9–5–2) Season Season series at New York Giants at Boston/Washington Braves/Redskins Overall series Notes 1932 Braves 1–0–1 Tie 0–0 Braves 14–6 Braves 1–0–1 Redskins join NFL as the Boston Braves. 1933 Tie 1–1 Giants 7–0 Redskins 21–20 Redskins 2–1–1 Braves change their name to "Redskins." Both teams placed in the NFL Eastern division as the league splits into two divisions. Giants lose 1933 NFL Championship. 1934 Giants 2–0 Giants 3–0 Giants 16–3 Giants 3–2–1 Giants win 1934 NFL Championship. 1935 Giants 2–0 Giants 17–6 Giants 20–12 Giants 5–2–1 Giants lose 1935 NFL Championship. 1936 Tie 1–1 Redskins 14–0 Giants 7–0 Redskins 6–3–1 Redskins lose 1936 NFL Championship. 1937 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 49–14 Redskins 13–3 Giants 6–5–1 Redskins move from Boston to Washington. Redskins win final game of regular season in New York (a de facto Eastern Division title game), win 1937 NFL Championship. 1938 Giants 2–0 Giants 36–0 Giants 10–7 Giants 8–5–1 Giants win 1938 NFL Championship. 1939 Giants 1–0–1 Giants 9–7 Tie 0–0 Giants 9–5–2 Giants win final game of regular season in Washington (a de facto Eastern Division title game), lose 1939 NFL Championship.
1940s (Giants, 12–9) Season Season series at New York Giants at Washington Redskins Overall series Notes 1940 Tie 1–1 Giants 21–7 Redskins 21–7 Giants 10–6–2 Redskins lose 1940 NFL Championship. 1941 Giants 2–0 Giants 20–13 Giants 17–0 Giants 12–6–2 Giants lose 1941 NFL Championship. 1942 Tie 1–1 Redskins 14–7 Giants 14–7 Giants 13–7–2 Redskins win 1942 NFL Championship. 1943 Giants 2–0 Giants 14–10 Giants 31–7 Giants 15–7–2 Redskins lose 1943 NFL Championship. 1943 Playoffs Redskins 1–0 Redskins 28–0 Giants 15–8–2 Eastern Division Playoff game required because the two teams finished tied atop the standings. First postseason meeting in the series. 1944 Giants 2–0 Giants 16–13 Giants 31–0 Giants 17–8–2 Giants lose 1944 NFL Championship. 1945 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 24–14 Redskins 17–0 Giants 17–10–2 Redskins lose 1945 NFL Championship. 1946 Tie 1–1 Giants 31–0 Redskins 24–14 Giants 18–11–2 Giants lose 1946 NFL Championship. Either the Giants or Redskins won the NFL Eastern Division for 14 straight seasons (1933–46). 1947 Tie 1–1 Giants 35–10 Redskins 28–20 Giants 19–12–2 1948 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 28–21 Redskins 41–10 Giants 19–14–2 1969 Giants 2–0 Giants 23–7 Giants 45–35 Giants 21–14–2
1950s (Giants, 15–5) Season Season series at New York Giants at Washington Redskins Overall series Notes 1950 Giants 2–0 Giants 24–21 Giants 21–17 Giants 23–14–2 1951 Giants 2–0 Giants 28–14 Giants 35–14 Giants 25–14–2 1952 Tie 1–1 Redskins 27–17 Giants 14–10 Giants 26–15–2 Giants win 7 straight meetings (1949–52). 1953 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 24–21 Redskins 13–9 Giants 26–17–2 1954 Giants 2–0 Giants 24–7 Giants 51–21 Giants 28–17–2 1955 Giants 2–0 Giants 35–7 Giants 27–20 Giants 30–17–2 1956 Tie 1–1 Giants 28–14 Redskins 33–7 Giants 31–18–2 Giants move to Yankee Stadium, win 1956 NFL Championship. 1957 Tie 1–1 Redskins 31–14 Giants 24–20 Giants 32–19–2 1958 Giants 2–0 Giants 30–0 Giants 28–14 Giants 34–19–2 Giants lose 1958 NFL Championship. 1959 Giants 2–0 Giants 45–14 Giants 24–10 Giants 36–19–2 Giants lose 1959 NFL Championship.
1960s (Giants, 12–5–1) Season Season series at New York Giants at Washington Redskins Overall series Notes 1960 Giants 1–0–1 Tie 24–24 Giants 17–3 Giants 37–19–3 1961 Giants 2–0 Giants 53–0 Giants 24–21 Giants 39–19–3 Redskins open Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (then known as District of Columbia Stadium). Giants' 53–0 win in New York is the largest margin of victory in the series. Giants lose 1961 NFL Championship. 1962 Giants 2–0 Giants 49–34 Giants 42–24 Giants 41–19–3 Giants lose 1962 NFL Championship. 1963 Giants 2–0 Giants 44–14 Giants 24–14 Giants 43–19–3 Giants lose 1963 NFL Championship. 1964 Tie 1–1 Giants 13–10 Redskins 36–21 Giants 44–20–3 Giants win 8 straight meetings (1960–64). 1965 Tie 1–1 Redskins 23–7 Giants 27–10 Giants 45–21–3 1966 Tie 1–1 Giants 13–10 Redskins 72–41 Giants 46–22–3 The Redskins' 72–41 win is the highest-scoring game in NFL history by total points (113). 1967 Redskins 1–0 no game 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 results in only a single meeting between the Giants and Redskins in 1967 and 1969. 1968 Giants 2–0 Giants 48–21 Giants 13–10 Giants 48–23–3 1969 Redskins 1–0 no game Redskins 20–14 Giants 48–24–3
1970s (Redskins, 13–7) Season Season series at New York Giants at Washington Redskins Overall series Notes 1970 Giants 2–0 Giants 35–33 Giants 27–24 Giants 50–24–3 Both teams placed in the NFC East after AFL-NFL merger. 1971 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 30–3 Redskins 23–7 Giants 50–26–3 1972 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 23–16 Redskins 27–13 Giants 50–28–3 Redskins lose Super Bowl VII. 1973 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 21–3 Redskins 27–24 Giants 50–30–3 Giants move to the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut. 1974 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 13–10 Redskins 24–3 Giants 50–32–3 1975 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 21–13 Redskins 49–13 Giants 50–34–3 Giants home game played at Shea Stadium. 1976 Tie 1–1 Giants 12–9 Redskins 19–17 Giants 51–35–3 Giants open Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Redskins win 11 straight meetings (1971–76). 1977 Giants 2–0 Giants 20–17 Giants 17–6 Giants 53–35–3 1978 Tie 1–1 Giants 17–6 Redskins 16–13(OT) Giants 54–36–3 1979 Tie 1–1 Giants 14–6 Redskins 27–0 Giants 55–37–3
1980s (Redskins, 11–10) Season Season series at New York Giants at Washington Redskins Overall series Notes 1980 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 23–21 Redskins 16–13 Giants 55–39–3 1981 Tie 1–1 Redskins 30–27(OT) Giants 17–7 Giants 56–40–3 1982 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 27–17 Redskins 15–14 Giants 56–42–3 Both games played despite players strike reducing the season to 9 games, Redskins win Super Bowl XVII. 1983 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 33–17 Redskins 31-22 Giants 56–44–3 Redskins lose Super Bowl XVIII. 1984 Tie 1–1 Giants 37–13 Redskins 30–14 Giants 57–45–3 1985 Tie 1–1 Giants 17–3 Redskins 23–21 Giants 58–46–3 Game in Washington was Joe Theismann's final game. 1986 Giants 2–0 Giants 27–10 Giants 24–14 Giants 60–46–3 Giants win Super Bowl XXI. 1986 Playoffs Giants 1–0 Giants 17–0 Giants 61–46–3 NFC Championship Game. 1987 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 38–12 Redskins 23–19 Giants 61–48–3 Redskins win Super Bowl XXII. 1988 Giants 2–0 Giants 27–20 Giants 24–23 Giants 63–48–3 1989 Giants 2–0 Giants 20–17 Giants 27–24 Giants 65–48–3
1990s (Giants, 11–8–1) Season Season series at New York Giants at Washington Redskins Overall series Notes 1990 Giants 2–0 Giants 21–10 Giants 24–20 Giants 67–48–3 Giants win Super Bowl XXV. 1991 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 17–13 Redskins 34–17 Giants 67–50–3 Redskins win Super Bowl XXVI. 1992 Tie 1–1 Redskins 28–10 Giants 24–7 Giants 68–51–3 1993 Giants 2–0 Giants 20–6 Giants 41–7 Giants 70–51–3 1994 Giants 2–0 Giants 31–23 Giants 21–19 Giants 72–51–3 1995 Giants 2–0 Giants 20–13 Giants 24–15 Giants 74–51–3 1996 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 31–10 Redskins 31–21 Giants 74–53–3 1997 Giants 1–0–1 Giants 30–10 Tie 7–7(OT) Giants 75–53–4 Redskins open FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland (then known as Jack Kent Cooke Stadium). First tie game in the series since the 1974 introduction of overtime. Giants clinched the NFC East in their home meeting over the Redskins in the penultimate week of the regular season. 1998 Tie 1–1 Giants 31–24 Redskins 21–14 Giants 76–54–4 1999 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 50–21 Redskins 23–13 Giants 76–56–4
2000s (Giants, 14–6) Season Season series at New York Giants at Washington Redskins Overall series Notes 2000 Tie 1–1 Redskins 16–6 Giants 9–7 Giants 77–57–4 Giants lose Super Bowl XXXV. 2001 Tie 1–1 Giants 23–9 Redskins 35–21 Giants 78–58–4 2002 Giants 2–0 Giants 19–17 Giants 27–21 Giants 80–58–4 2003 Tie 1–1 Redskins 20–7 Giants 24–21(OT) Giants 81–59–4 2004 Tie 1–1 Giants 20–14 Redskins 31–7 Giants 82–60–4 2005 Tie 1–1 Giants 36–0 Redskins 35–20 Giants 83–61–4 2006 Giants 2–0 Giants 19–3 Giants 34–28 Giants 85–61–4 2007 Tie 1–1 Redskins 23–10 Giants 24–17 Giants 86–62–4 Giants win Super Bowl XLII. 2008 Giants 2–0 Giants 16–7 Giants 23–7 Giants 88–62–4 Game in the Meadowlands was the NFL Kickoff Game. 2009 Giants 2–0 Giants 23–17 Giants 45–12 Giants 90–62–4
2010s (Giants, 13–7) Season Season series at New York Giants at Washington Redskins Overall series Notes 2010 Giants 2–0 Giants 31–7 Giants 17–14 Giants 92–62–4 Giants and Jets open MetLife Stadium (then known as New Meadowlands Stadium). 2011 Redskins 2–0 Redskins 23–10 Redskins 28–14 Giants 92–64–4 Redskins' first season sweep since 1999. Giants win Super Bowl XLVI. 2012 Tie 1–1 Giants 27–23 Redskins 17–16 Giants 93–65–4 2013 Giants 2–0 Giants 20–6 Giants 24–17 Giants 95–65–4 2014 Giants 2–0 Giants 24–13 Giants 45–14 Giants 97–65–4 2015 Tie 1–1 Giants 32–21 Redskins 20–14 Giants 98–66–4 2016 Tie 1–1 Redskins 29–27 Giants 19–10 Giants 99–67–4 Giants play spoiler with their playoff position locked in and eliminate the Redskins from playoff contention. 2017 Tie 1–1 Giants 18–10 Redskins 20–10 Giants 100–68–4 Game in Landover 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 for the 100th time the previous season). 2018 Tie 1–1 Redskins 20–13 Giants 40–16 Giants 101–69–4 2019 Giants 2–0 Giants 24–3 Giants 41–35(OT) Giants 103–69–4 Eli Manning's final season.
2020s (Giants, 5–2–1) Season Season series at New York Giants at Washington Football Team/Commanders Overall series Notes 2020 Giants 2–0 Giants 20–19 Giants 23–20 Giants 105–69–4 Washington retires "Redskins" name after decades of controversy, adopts temporary "Washington Football Team" moniker. No fans in attendance for the game in New York due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2021 Washington 2–0 Washington 22–7 Washington 30–29 Giants 105–71–4 Washington sweep season series for first time since 2011. Washington's home victory came on a game-winning field goal as time expired after the Giants jumped offside one snap earlier when the initial field goal attempt was missed. 2022 Giants 1–0–1 Tie 20–20(OT) Giants 20–12 Giants 106–71–5 Washington Football Team adopts the "Commanders" name. 2023 Giants 2–0 Giants 14–7 Giants 31–19 Giants 108–71–5
Summary of Results Season Season series at New York Giants at Washington Commanders Notes Regular season Giants 107–70–5 Giants 57–30–3 Giants 50–40–2 Postseason Tie 1–1 Tie 1–1 no games NFL Eastern Division playoff: 1943. NFC Championship Game: 1986. Regular and postseason Giants 108–71–5 Giants 58–31–3 Giants 50–40–2

See also

• Capitals–Rangers rivalry
• Capitals–Islanders rivalry
• N.Y. Red Bulls–D.C. United rivalry

References

1. . 2020 Official National Football League Record & Fact Book. NFL Enterprises, LLC. August 17, 2020. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
2. All Super Bowls from I through LIV (1966–2019)
3. All Super Bowl appearances and titles were as the Washington Redskins
4. DeArdo, Bryan (July 1, 2020). "NFL Throwback Thursday: Browns-Broncos among the classic rivalries during the 1980s". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
5. Hanlon, Greg (November 30, 2008). "Top 10 Moments in the Giants-Redskins Rivalry". The New York Times.
6. "Giants own Washington". Twitter. 2022-12-19.
7. Doug Farrar (2012-12-04). "Dan Snyder's profane joy in Redskins win based on salary cap penalties". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
8. Fitzgerald, Gary (September 11, 2011). . Redskins.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
9. Jones, Mike (December 19, 2011). "Redskins/NFL". The Washington Post.
10. Doug Farrar (2012-12-04). "Dan Snyder's profane joy in Redskins win based on salary cap penalties". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
11. Benton, Dan (December 9, 2018). "Giants blow out Redskins 40-16: Studs, duds, and studly duds". Giants Wire.