Week 2 of the 2021 NFL season kicks off with Thursday Night Football from FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, so here’s the best New York Giants vs. Washington Football Team betting pick along with the latest team stats and betting trends.

Last season, the Giants swept the Washington series while going 1-1 ATS in the process. New York is undefeated in five straight meetings with the former Redskins, but the Giants are listed as 3.5-point underdogs for Thursday’s clash. The totals are listed at 40.5 points on Bookmaker Sportsbook.

The Giants have to improve their ground game  

Saquon Barkley returned to the Giants’ starting lineup last Sunday after missing 14 games in 2020 due to a knee injury, but he had only 26 yards on ten totes. Daniel Jones led the Giants with six carries for 27 yards and a TD, and when a signal-caller not named Lamar Jackson leads the team in rushing yards, you know something goes wrong.

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The Giants lost to the Denver Broncos 27-13 in Week 1 and failed to cover as 3-point home dogs. They combined for just 60 rushing yards, while Jones tossed for 267 yards and a TD, completing only 22 of his 37 passing attempts.

New York struggled on the defensive end, too, allowing 420 total yards to the Broncos. The Giants surrendered 165 yards on the ground, and the Broncos visited the red zone five times, so Joe Judge will have to have a conversation with his defensive unit. Last year, the Giants were ninth in points allowed (22.3) and 12th in total yards allowed per game (349.3).

Washington’s offensive woes continue in 2021      

The Washington Football Team won the NFC East in 2020 mostly thanks to a terrific defense, yielding 20.6 points per contest (4th in the NFL) on 304.6 total yards (2nd). Their offense was a completely different story, as the Football Team was scoring 20.9 points per game (26th) on 317.3 total yards (30th).

Washington entered the 2021 NFL season with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center, but the veteran signal-caller suffered a hip injury in Week 1 and will be sidelined for at least six weeks. The Football Team lost to the Los Angeles Chargers as 2-point home favorites, 20-16, and Taylor Heinicke tossed for 122 yards and a touchdown after replacing Fitzpatrick.

Antonio Gibson had 20 totes for 90 yards against the Chargers, proving he’ll be the No. 1 in Washington’s backfield. The Football Team’s run defense did a nice job, holding the Chargers to 90 rushing yards, but their secondary was tortured for 334 yards.

Trends:

New York:

  • 13-2-1 ATS in the last 16 games against Washington
  • 9-2 ATS in the last 11 games on the road

Washington:

  • 1-4 ATS in the last five home tilts against the Giants
  • 1-6 ATS in the last seven games played in September

New York Giants vs. Washington Football Team Pick

With both teams losing in the opening week, this Thursday Night Football will have a lot at stake. Washington is under huge pressure after a home defeat, and with 3.5 points on the table, I’ll take the Giants to cover.

This should be a tight contest, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a few lead changes in the fourth quarter. Both teams will lean on a stout defense while struggling to move the ball easily which is another reason why I’m looking for a thriller down the stretch.

Pick: Take New York Giants +3.5 at -110     

The Total:

Although the line has been set pretty low, I have to bet on the under. While both teams are struggling to score points, their defensive units are looking good. Washington will put huge pressure on Daniel Jones, but the hosts will have to hope their backup QB can do the job against the Giants’ D that will be fired up following a loss in Week 1.

The under has hit in the Giants’ previous eight games at any location and six of Washington’s last seven games overall. Also, 13 of the last 19 encounters between these two NFC East foes went in the under.

Pick: Go under 40.5 points at -110