The Washington Commanders surprised many around the league by winning double-digit games for the first time since 2012 and coming one victory away from reaching the Super Bowl. Now, there are higher expectations for the squad in the second year of the Jayden Daniels era.

The Commanders will have a tougher schedule this year by virtue of finishing second in the NFC East. Super Bowl contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions loom later in the year along with talented teams like the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. They will also experience a dramatic increase in travel miles, which includes a trip to Europe to play the Miami Dolphins.

Now that the season is on the horizon, Commanders.com is going to break down each of Washington's opponents. We'll start with the New York Giants, who have bolstered an already potent pass rush this offseason with perhaps the most talented prospect in this year's draft class.

Game information

Date: Sept. 7
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Northwest Stadium (tickets can be purchased here)

Individual stats leaders

• Passing Yards -- QB Daniel Jones (2,070)
• Passing TDs -- QB Daniel Jones (8)
• Rushing Yards -- RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (839)
• Rushing TDs -- RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (5)
• Receiving Yards -- WR Malik Nabers (1,204)
• Receiving TDs -- WR Malik Nabers (7)
• Tackles -- LB Michael McFadden (107)
• Sacks -- DT Dexter Lawrence (9)
• Interceptions -- CB Andru Phillips, S Dan Belton, LB Darius Musau and CB Tre Hawkins (1)

Key additions

• S Javon Holland (free agency)
• CB Paulson Adebo (free agency)
• DE Abdul Carter (draft)
• QB Russell Wilson (free agency)
• RB Cam Skattebo (draft)

Key questions

• What's going on with the Giants' quarterback situation? If there was an award for putting together the most interesting quarterbacks in one room, the Giants would be the easy favorites to win it. Wilson showed that he still have something left in the tank by winning nine games for the Pittsburgh Steelers, including a stretch where he threw 12 touchdowns to three interceptions. He also didn't look great in the last month of the regular season and committed as many turnovers (four) as he threw touchdowns in a four-game losing streak. Jameis Winston is a mystery box, meaning he's just as likely to throw three touchdowns in a win over the Baltimore Ravens as he is to complete 56% of his passes and throw three picks against the Los Angeles Chargers. And then there's Jaxson Dart, the first-round pick who has tools but also needs a lot of work to be a competent starter. How that group works together is the biggest unknown for the Giants. It could end well or lead to frustration for Giants fans. Either way, it's possible all three players will start at least one game.

• Can the beefed-up pass rush lead to more wins? While the Giants' roster needs work at several positions, their defensive line is not among them. It was already one of the best in the league with Dexter Lawrence sandwiched between Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, but it could be at the top now that Carter is in the rotation. There's no doubt that those four players will make up one of the most formidable pass rushes in the game. The real question is what does that mean for the Giants? Could they improve upon the three wins they won in 2024, or will their defensive line be one of the only shiny components of what could be another difficult season? Good pass rushes can cover up several warts on a roster, but will it be enough to make New York more competitive in a division that had two top 10 offenses last season. The Commanders will be the first litmus test for that, and fortunately for the Burgundy & Gold, they have also strengthened their offensive line to negate their effectiveness.

• What does Malik Nabers' second season look like? There was a point last season where Nabers was the Giants' only weapon, and it showed up in their game plans. They targeted Nabers 170 times, which was only five behind Ja'Marr Chase for the most in the league. He had more receiving touchdowns (seven) than any other Giants player combined, and those numbers would have been even higher had he not been injured for two weeks. The ingredients are there for Nabers to have a better year. Although Wilson's arm isn't as strong as it was 10 years ago, he can still stretch the field. If Skattebo can replicate his success in college, he and Tracy could be a fun tandem on the ground. However, teams are now going to put even more attention on him to prevent him from making explosive plays downfield. It will be interesting to see how Nabers handles the pressure.