EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a dominant second quarter and a critical missed opportunity just before halftime, the Washington Commanders defeated the New York Giants 29-21 on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

The Commanders, who entered the game with a 3-10 record, improved to 4-10 by sweeping the season series from their NFC East rival. The Giants fell to 2-12, their playoff hopes long extinguished in a difficult season.

Washington quarterback Marcus Mariota managed the game effectively, completing 10 of 19 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown while adding 43 yards on the ground. His primary weapon was running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who gashed the Giants defense for 96 yards on 18 carries, including a 16-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the final minute of the first half, a stretch that ultimately decided the contest. Leading 16-7 and set to receive the second-half kickoff, the Giants had a chance to add to their lead or at least run out the clock. Instead, quarterback Jaxson Dart’s pass intended for Jalin Hyatt was intercepted by Washington’s Mike Sainristil at the Commanders 21-yard line. Sainristil returned it 55 yards to the New York 24 with just 10 seconds remaining.

That single play transformed the game’s momentum. Instead of going into halftime with a comfortable two-possession lead and the ball, the Giants watched as Washington kicker Jake Moody drilled a 42-yard field goal as time expired. The swing turned a potential 16-7 or 19-7 Giants lead into a 19-7 Commanders advantage, a devastating 10-point turnaround that silenced the home crowd of 77,481.

The Commanders had built their early lead with methodical, if not explosive, offense. They opened the scoring with a 46-yard Moody field goal on their first drive, culminating a 14-play, 37-yard march. The floodgates opened in the second quarter. After a Giants punt, Washington engineered a 77-yard touchdown drive, capped by Croskey-Merritt’s scoring run. Following another New York three-and-out, the Commanders added a 39-yard Moody field goal to go up 13-0.

The Giants briefly showed life. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who finished 20 of 36 for 246 yards with two touchdowns and an interception while rushing for 63 yards, led a 65-yard scoring drive. Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., who had 70 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards, finished it with a 12-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 13-7.

But the late-half interception and field goal sent Washington into the locker room with a 12-point cushion and all the momentum.

New York fought back in the third quarter. Dart engineered an impressive 11-play, 65-yard drive, connecting with Tracy on an 18-yard touchdown pass to pull within 19-14. The Giants defense then forced a punt, but their ensuing drive stalled at the Washington 33. Kicker Younghoe Koo, who had missed a 52-yard attempt in the first quarter, was wide left again on a 51-yard try early in the fourth, squandering a prime chance to close the gap.

Washington immediately capitalized. On the very next play, Mariota hit a streaking Terry McLaurin down the middle for a 51-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 26-14. McLaurin finished with three catches for 69 yards.

The Giants responded with a desperate 67-yard drive, aided by a defensive pass interference penalty in the end zone. Dart found Wan’Dale Robinson for a 16-yard touchdown with 3:43 remaining to make it 26-21. Robinson had five catches for 54 yards.

Needing a stop, the Giants defense could not get it. Facing a third-and-6 from his own 44 with just over two minutes left, Mariota delivered the dagger, hitting tight end Ben Sinnott for a 36-yard gain to the New York 39. That allowed Washington to run out the clock, with Moody adding a final 42-yard field goal as time expired.

Defensively, the Giants were led by linebacker Darius Muasau, who registered 11 tackles. Safety Dane Belton had eight tackles and a sack, and linebacker Abdul Carter added seven tackles and a sack. For Washington, safety Quan Martin had a team-high nine tackles.

The loss encapsulated the Giants’ frustrating season, marked by self-inflicted wounds and missed opportunities. The failed field goals and the catastrophic interception before halftime proved insurmountable. For the Commanders, the victory provided a rare bright spot in a rebuilding year, secured by capitalizing on their opponent’s critical mistakes.