Washington dominated the first half and held on to beat the New York Giants 29–21 at MetLife Stadium on December 14, 2025 in NFL Week 15. A 63-yard punt return touchdown by J. Lane in the second quarter gave the Commanders a 19–7 lead heading into halftime that New York could never fully overcome. Marcus Mariota’s 51-yard touchdown strike to Terry McLaurin in the fourth quarter sealed the win. For the Giants, Jared Dart threw 2 touchdown passes and Tyrone Tracy added a rushing score and a receiving score, but two missed field goals and poor second-quarter decisions proved too costly against a Washington team that converted every scoring chance.
Final Score
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Commanders | 3 | 19 | 0 | 7 | 29 |
| New York Giants | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
Scoring Plays
Q1 — 9:26 J. Moody 46-yard field goal. (NYG 0 – WAS 3)
Q2 — 13:44 J. Croskey-Merritt rushed up the middle for 16 yards. TOUCHDOWN. Moody PAT good. (NYG 0 – WAS 10)
Q2 — 8:31 J. Moody 39-yard field goal. (NYG 0 – WAS 13)
Q2 — 3:43 T. Tracy rushed for 12 yards. TOUCHDOWN. Koo PAT good. (NYG 7 – WAS 13)
Q2 — 1:20 C. Johnston punts 48 yards to WAS 37. J. Lane returned punt 63 yards. TOUCHDOWN. (Penalty declined.) Moody PAT no good. (NYG 7 – WAS 19)
Q2 — 0:04 J. Moody 42-yard field goal. (NYG 7 – WAS 22)
Q3 — 11:55 Jared Dart pass deep right complete. Catch made by T. Tracy for 18 yards. TOUCHDOWN. Koo PAT good. (NYG 14 – WAS 22)
Q4 — 13:56 Marcus Mariota pass deep middle complete. Catch made by T. McLaurin for 51 yards. TOUCHDOWN. Moody PAT good. (NYG 14 – WAS 29)
Q4 — 3:49 Jared Dart pass deep right complete (defended by P. Smith). Catch made by W. Robinson for 16 yards. TOUCHDOWN. Koo PAT good. (NYG 21 – WAS 29) — FINAL
Team Stats Comparison
| Stat | New York Giants | Washington Commanders |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 384 | 340 |
| Passing Yards (net) | 238 | 195 |
| Rushing Yards | 146 | 145 |
| Plays | 67 | 58 |
| Avg Gain Per Play | 5.7 | 5.9 |
| Time of Possession | 29:12 | 30:48 |
| First Downs | 22 | 19 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Sacks Allowed | 1 | 2 |
| Penalties | 6 (62 yds) | 11 (67 yds) |
| Touchdowns | 3 | 3 |
| Field Goals | 0/2 | 3/3 |
| Special Teams TD | 0 | 1 (punt return) |
| Forced Fumbles | 4 | 1 |
| Fumbles Lost | 0 | 2 |
New York Giants Offensive Stats
Passing
Jared Dart completed 20 of 37 passes for 246 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception, finishing with an 81.6 passer rating. He was sacked once for 8 yards and threw 10 poor passes — his highest of any game in this post — and had 2 catchable passes dropped by receivers. His two touchdown passes went to T. Tracy (18 yards, Q3) and W. Robinson (16 yards, Q4), both on deep right patterns that beat Washington’s coverage. The interception was returned 55 yards, giving Washington excellent field position in a game where New York needed every possession.
- Completions/Attempts: 20/37 | Yards: 246 | TDs: 2 | INTs: 1
- Sacks: 1 (8 yards) | Passer Rating: 81.6 | Poor Throws: 10
- Longest Completion: 42 yards
Rushing
New York ran 29 times for 146 yards and 1 touchdown — a solid 5.034 yards per carry. Tyrone Tracy scored on a 12-yard rush in the second quarter and added his receiving touchdown in the third. Six scrambles from Dart added to the ground total. The running game was one of the few consistent positives in a game where the kicking game and second-quarter decisions undermined the effort.
- Attempts: 29 | Yards: 146 | Avg: 5.034 | TDs: 1 | Long: 29 yards
Special Teams — Kicking
Two missed field goal attempts — both from 50-plus yards — cost New York 6 points that ultimately equalled the final margin of defeat. Both misses came from beyond 50 yards, which reflects aggressive play-calling rather than poor execution, but the result was the same. Younghoe Koo made all three of his extra point attempts.
- Field Goals: 0/2 (both 50+ yard misses) | Extra Points: 3/3
Washington Commanders Offensive Stats
Passing
Marcus Mariota completed 10 of 19 passes for 211 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions, finishing with a 109.8 passer rating. He was sacked twice for 16 yards but averaged 9.286 yards per attempt — the highest of any quarterback in this game — reflecting Washington’s big-play passing approach. His 51-yard touchdown to Terry McLaurin in the fourth quarter — the longest scoring play of the game — gave Washington an insurmountable 29–14 lead. Washington threw on only 19 of 58 plays, leaning heavily on the ground game.
- Completions/Attempts: 10/19 | Yards: 211 | TDs: 1 | INTs: 0
- Sacks: 2 (16 yards) | Passer Rating: 109.8 | Longest: 51 yards (TD)
Rushing
Washington ran 37 times for 145 yards and 1 touchdown — a game-plan that reflected their intention to control the clock and grind the Giants down. J. Croskey-Merritt’s 16-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter was the opening score that set the tone. Washington averaged 3.919 yards per carry but generated 8 rushing first downs. Three kneel-downs at the end indicate how comfortable they were managing the game in the final minutes.
- Attempts: 37 | Yards: 145 | Avg: 3.919 | TDs: 1 | Long: 16 yards
Special Teams — Kicking and Punt Return
Jake Moody was perfect — 3 for 3 on field goals from 46, 39, and 42 yards — accounting for 9 of Washington’s 29 points. His consistency in the first half built Washington’s lead incrementally at moments when the offense stalled. The game-defining special teams play was J. Lane’s 63-yard punt return touchdown in the second quarter that turned a 13–7 game into 19–7. The Commanders’ punt return unit averaged 30.3 yards per return across 3 attempts — an extraordinary team-level total that reflected poor Giants coverage throughout.
- Field Goals: 3/3 (46, 39, 42 yards) | Punt Return TDs: 1 (Lane, 63 yards)
- Punt Return Avg: 30.3 yards per return
New York Giants Defensive Stats
New York’s defense forced 4 fumbles, recovered 2, and recorded 2 sacks — a respectable statistical performance that was undone by the 63-yard punt return touchdown and McLaurin’s 51-yard score in the fourth quarter. The Giants defended only 2 passes and had no interceptions, missing the critical takeaway that could have shifted momentum in the second half.
- Tackles: 30 solo, 30 assists (60 combined) | Sacks: 2 (16 yards)
- QB Hits: 5 | TFL: 6 (7 yards) | INTs: 0 | PDs: 2
- Forced Fumbles: 4 | Fumble Recoveries: 2 | Missed Tackles: 2
Washington Commanders Defensive Stats
Washington’s defense held New York to 21 points, recorded 1 interception returned 55 yards, defended 6 passes, forced 1 fumble, and stopped New York twice on fourth down. The unit’s ability to contain New York’s offense in the first half — holding them scoreless until the third quarter of the second quarter — was the foundation of the victory.
- Tackles: 40 solo, 15 assists (55 combined) | Sacks: 1 (8 yards)
- QB Hits: 8 | TFL: 4 (14 yards) | INTs: 1 (55 return yards)
- PDs: 6 | Forced Fumbles: 1 | Fourth Down Stops: 2 | Missed Tackles: 2
Key Takeaways
- Washington Commanders defeated the New York Giants 29–21 in NFL Week 15 on December 14, 2025, with a 63-yard punt return touchdown by J. Lane in the second quarter as the game’s most decisive single play — it turned a 13–7 game into 19–7 before halftime.
- Marcus Mariota completed just 10 of 19 passes but averaged 9.286 yards per attempt and posted a 109.8 passer rating — his 51-yard touchdown to Terry McLaurin in the fourth quarter sealed the win and was the longest play of the game.
- Jake Moody was Washington’s most consistent contributor — a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals from 46, 39, and 42 yards, accounting for 9 of Washington’s 29 points.
- New York’s two missed field goals — both from beyond 50 yards — cost the Giants 6 points that equalled the final margin of defeat, a factor that loomed large over the result.
- Jared Dart threw 2 touchdown passes and ran the Giants’ offense competently — 246 passing yards, 5.7 yards per play — but 10 poor throws and the late interception returned 55 yards were the individual errors that cost New York.
- Tyrone Tracy was New York’s most complete offensive performer — scoring on a 12-yard rush in the second quarter and an 18-yard touchdown catch in the third, accounting for 2 of the Giants’ 3 touchdowns.
- Washington ran 37 times for 145 yards and committed 11 penalties for 67 yards — the ground game was their foundation and the penalties were their only consistent negative on the night.
- New York’s defense forced 4 fumbles and recovered 2 — the unit performed well enough to keep the Giants in the game, but gave up a long touchdown pass and a long punt return that neither statistic can account for.
- Washington’s punt return unit averaged 30.3 yards per return across 3 attempts — an extraordinary collective total reflecting the Giants’ poor punt coverage throughout the game.
- The loss dropped New York to a difficult position in the NFC East, while Washington’s win kept their playoff push firmly on track heading into the final weeks of the 2025 regular season.