NY Giants’ John Harbaugh explains why he didn’t go for a 2-point conversion against Commanders

The New York Giants and Washington Commanders played one of the most entertaining games of Week 5, which ultimately ended in a tie. The G-Men had a chance to secure the win in the closing moments, but John Harbaugh opted to kick a field goal to send the game to overtime rather than go for a two-point conversion.

“We definitely, I think generally speaking, theoretically, you go for two. Then you see if you have to go for two twice, you give yourself a chance to win the game in regulation,” Harbaugh explained to the reporters. “But the way the game was going, as we talked about it, I just decided that I wanted to put it into overtime.

“If we got to that point, I wanted to put it into overtime. So, I didn’t want to take the chance on the two-point conversion. I thought overtime would give us the best chance. Plus, it’s a road division game, so the tie isn’t the worst thing for the road team.”

Although the final result may not have been what the Giants were hoping for, the tie was not necessarily a bad outcome for Harbaugh. Divisional matchups always carry extra weight, and New York came away unscathed from Northwest Stadium.

Head coach John Harbaugh of the New York Giants looks on against the Los Angeles Rams.

Leading the NFC East

Despite a wild 27-27 overtime tie against the Washington Commanders in Week 5, the New York Giants sitting at 3-1-1 hold top spot in the NFC East. Capitalizing on a sluggish start by their divisional rivals—with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys trailing behind at 2-3—New York’s early-season consistency and strong 3-0 home record have kept them ahead of the pack.

See also

NY Giants’ John Harbaugh provides significant injury update on Jermaine Eluemunor and other players

While a division title race remains far from decided, the Giants’ ability to grind out close outcomes has quietly positioned them as the team to beat in the division through five weeks.

What’s next for the G-Men?

Winning the division is a must, and the Giants will need to keep piling up victories to prevent their direct rivals from catching up. Here are the Giants’ upcoming games in the near future:

• Week 6: vs. New Orleans Saints, MetLife Stadium (Sunday, Oct 18, 2026)
• Week 7: at Houston Texans, NRG Stadium (Sunday, Oct 25, 2026)
• Week 8: Bye Week
• Week 9: at Philadelphia Eagles, Lincoln Financial Field (Sunday, Nov 8, 2026)

Key takeaways

• John Harbaugh decided against a two-point conversion to send the game into overtime.
• The Giants played to a 27-27 overtime tie against the Washington Commanders.
• The New York Giants lead the NFC East with a 3-1-1 record.