Well, anyone who thought this one would come down to the kickers got it right, as Washington's Austin Seibert converted his seventh field goal of the game as time expired to send the Giants to an 0-2 record with a 21-18 road loss to the Commanders.

Giants kicker Graham Gano was injured on the first play of the afternoon, and his absence loomed over the entire game. Punter Jamie Gillan missed his lone PAT attempt, and the Giants failed to convert on two two-point conversions on their final two touchdowns.

Brian Daboll also elected to go for it on 4th-and-4 from the Washington 22-yard line with 2:04 to go, but Daniel Jones' sideline pass to rookie Malik Nabers (10-127) went through his hands for a massive drop to spol and otherwise stellar game for the Giants' first-round draft pick.

Nabers has been stellar all day, with nine catches for 123 yards and a TD, but the first-rounder just let a ball go through his hands on the sideline on 4th and 4 from the Washington 22 with 2:04 left in a tie game.

Graham Gano's absence with a hamstring injury has killed the Giants, too, as they decided against letting Gillan attempt a 40-yard field goal from there.

Can the defense keep Washington out of field-goal range this time?

The Commanders have pulled even yet again on Seibert's sixth FG, but they committed two more costly false starts in the red zone, giving them four flags inside the Giants' 20-yard line in the game.

It's 18-18 now, with Jones and the Giants getting it back with 7:12 to go.

Nabers is closing in on his first 100-yard receiving game (8-for-98), and the rookie made a couple of huge contributions on the scoring drive that put the Giants back ahead, 18-15, with a 7-yard scoring pass from Jones to Wan'Dale Robinson with 11:32 left in the fourth.

Nabers fought for the necessary yardage on a 4-and-3 catch to keep the drive going, and he also earned a defensive pass interference flag to set up the Giants with a first-and-goal inside the 10-yard line.

Hard to complain about Jones today, Giants fans, with two touchdown passes and zero interceptions.

The Commanders continue to move the ball, with little red-zone efficiency. Field goal No.5 for Seibert, and the Giants trail, 15-12, with 6:42 left in the third quarter.

Jones was sacked for the first time in the game, and Singletary committed the Giants' first turnover of the day at the end of a 15-yard run to give back the ball to the Commanders, who tie it up again, 12-12, with Seibert's fourth field goal in four attempts.

Not the momentum-building start the Giants wanted after intermission.

Jones and Nabers hooked up for three completions, including the first touchdown of the rookie's NFL career, for a 12-9 lead at intermission. Nabers made a leaping grab in the end zone on third down from the 4-yard line with eight seconds left in the half.

The Giants' attempt at the two-point conversion failed, but Jones finished with 95 passing yards and 21 on the ground through the first two quarters. Huge improvement from last week, and they'll get the ball to start the third quarter.

Nabers has five receptions for 73 yards and looks like a difference maker.

The offensive line also is showing improvement; the Giants are averaging 6.4 yards per rushing attempt (9-for-58) and Jones was not sacked in the half.

Another time-consuming drive by the Commanders resulted in Seibert's third field goal of the first half, a 28-yarder for a 9-6 lead. Washington has dominated the time of possession with 21:31 of the first 28-plus minutes. They have run 37 offensive plays to 12 for the Giants.

Daniels had to be replaced by backup Jeff Driskel for one play after taking a helmet to the ribs from rookie nickel Dru Phillips at the end of a 14-yard scramble. But the rookie was back on the field following one hand-off to Ekeler.

Malik Nabers returned after clearing concussion protocol and added a 7-yard reception, but the Giants's second drive stalled and resulted in a Jamie Gillan punt. Devin Singletary broke a 22-yard run on the drive.

Jayden Daniels is 9-for-9 throwing the ball, and the Commanders already have 59 yards rushing, but Jason Pinnock's sack -- the Giants' third of the half -- forced another Seibert field goal for a 6-6 game.

You couldn't ask for more from Daniel Jones and the Giants' offense on their first drive, culminated by a 7-yard TD run by Devin Singletary for a 6-3 lead, albeit with the PAT missed by punter and fill-in kicker Jamie Gillan.

Jones, coming off a brutal game last week against the Vikings, completed both of his pass attempts -- including a 28-yarder to Malik Nabers -- on the seven-play drive. He also ran the ball twice for 12 yards.