The Redskins.
The Giants lead the all-time regular season series with Washington, 77-57-4. They have played the Redskins more times, 138, than any other opponent. It sounds like the same old stuff. Well, not this time. There are a number of outstanding issues pending, and any one of them can take this game in any direction. We expect that the load of them will lead to a wild NFL Sunday afternoon roller coaster ride.
They are; the Giants unstable kicking game, their new receivers, their poor run defense, Jessie Armstead playing against the Giants for the first time, and with Steve Spurrier coaching, and with running back Stephen Davis returning.
There's Jim Fassel play-calling, and oh yeah, as always, there's that new guy, Jeremy Shockey. This is one game you don't want to miss.

Jessie Armstead - The Power.
After the Giants let Armstead go, the Redskins signed him to a three-year, $4.5 million contract. Were they foolish? At the end of last season, Armstead went to the Pro Bowl for a fifth consecutive time, the most by a Giant since Lawrence Taylor's run of 10 in a row ended in 1990. This year for Washington, Armstead is 2nd in tackles behind Jeremiah Trotter, with 18 coming in a career-high effort against the 49ers in week three. Of his 64 tackles, 14 have been for losses, 43 were solo, and he leads the team with two forced fumbles.
"They can say what they want about me and about how my play has declined, but my release had little to do with that," Armstead said. "They've talked about how I lost a step or have nothing left in the gas tank and that's why they cut me loose. Come on, let's cut the (garbage)."
Jessie feels one reason he was cut from the Giants was because of a power issue. "They felt I had too much power inside that locker room. They felt when I was upset that it was going to rub off on everybody else on that team. That's the true part about the whole thing."
One thing for sure is that the brass wasn't very happy when Armstead was a no show for the Giants' off-season workout program in April of last season. Also, he was the only player who failed to report for the Giants' mandatory minicamp. Armstead had wanted to renegotiate his contract, and he explained that it was the team's refusal to ensure career-long security, and not a quest for more money, that led to his conspicuous absence. Ironically, it may have helped lead to his departure.
The Giants' official reason for cutting Armstead was because his rich contract affected the club's ability to sign other players, but he also finished the 2001 season with fewer than 100 tackles for the first time in six years. The Giants viewed that as a sign that Armstead was reaching the twilight of his career.

Jessie Armstead - The Leadership.
Leadership, Leadership and Leadership -- capital letters," said Strahan, when asked about Armstead's attributes. "You know what you're going to get every time he steps on the field -- a guy full of fire and probably the most instinctive football player I've ever played with."
"I don't see how [the Giants] let Jessie get away," LaVar Arrington said. "I'm glad [they] did. He has made a big difference for us. He teaches us the little things. He has been steady all year. He has been making plays all year."
Some may say that Armstead lost a step or two, but don't be surprised if he finds them again when he brings his new found friends to Giants Stadium on Sunday. Will Jessie have the whole Redskin defensive unit pumped up for the game? You can bet on it. "Jessie Armstead walks the walk," cornerback Champ Bailey said. "I can't speak for him, but if I was him, I'd be wanting to get this one real bad. We'll take our cue from him."
"We're not going to call it a revenge game. He's just getting his due," CB Fred Smoot said. "They gave up somebody that the team could rally around. He gets a defense ready to play and people respect him and listen to him. That's what football is about - respect."
They may want to win one for Armstead, but can they? This same group should have been fired up last week. The Redskins were on a roll, having won two in a row, and the Jaguars were on a four-game losing streak. Steve Spurrier was returning to Florida as an NFL coach for the first time. The stage was set, and they got slaughtered in a 26-7 loss to the Jaguars in Jacksonville.

Steve Spurrier - College.
Under Spurrier, the Gators averaged more than 35 points per game and 310 passing yards per game. “Whatever it takes,” Spurrier said. “Whatever you do best. A lot of teams like to work on their running game. ... It’s hard to run. Spurrier left an indelible mark in college football when he went to the University of Florida and piled on a 122-27-1 record in 12 years. His Gators won the 1996 national championship and 7 Southeastern Conference Championships.
However, in the NFL, Spurrier's Fun 'N' Gun offense hasn't translated too well, and Washington averages a total of 308 yards per game to rank 21st in the NFL. College seems to equal success to Steve Spurrier in all forms. He played quarterback at Florida in the mid-1960s. He won the 1966 Heisman Trophy and was a two-time first-team All-American.

Steve Spurrier - NFL.
In the pros, Spurrier didn't do as well, though he played for 10 years. He is known for being innovative, and it's hard to argue with his college win-loss record, but last week, instead of running the ball against a Jacksonville Jaguars defense ranked 26th in the NFL against the run, Spurrier called for 51 passes to 16 running plays which had produced a respectable 68 yards. Despite some early success with Kenny Watson running against the Jaguars, Spurrier called 18 passes over a 20-play span while the game was still close, including one drive that consisted of seven passes and no runs when the score was 7-7. The drive gained all of 15 yards.
Spurrier said, "It was one of the best passing nights you could ever find here. I guess I was dumb enough to think we could throw it up and down the field. We ran a little bit here and there. We had a little success there early, and I got away from it too much. . . . So, looking back, I called a lousy game.". For a head coach to admit that, is impressive. Not many would do it, college or pros, and that brings us to the next topic.

The kicking game.
The trio of rookie Matt Bryant kicking, Matt Allen holding and Bob Jones snapping for the Giants had produced 11-for-11 on field goal attempts and 8-for-8 on PATs. The Giants even won a close 9-6 game against Seattle going 3-3 on field goals. That doesn't sound like something you would mess with. Well, head coach Jim Fassel did mess with it.
The punting game wasn't all that bad, but Fassel, sort of playing some fantasy football, "upgraded" his punter to Tom Rouen, who also replaced Matt Allen as the new holder. This trio produced 2 missed field goals, but that was mostly chalked up to the fact that Rouen and Allen only had a few days to work together. Then last week, they botched two extra points and missed two field goals which left them trailing by a point to the Vikings with eight minutes left in the game, turning what should have been an easy victory into a tense, come-from-behind 27-20 win.

What happened?
Fassel doesn't take much blame here for any of this. That kind of got passed on to long snapper Bob Jones who somehow was doing a decent job for 7 games before Fassel's pick, Tom Rouen, entered the mix. Now, Matt Allen has confirmed he'd be replacing Tom Rouen as the holder and punter for the Redskins game, and he said that center Chris Bober would replace long-snapper Bob Jones.
This group worked out well in practice this week. Bob Jones, according to Allen, will continue to be the long-snapper on the punt team, and Fassel insisted that Rouen will not be cut. There could be more than one reason for the Giants to hoard punters.
It seems the Redskins tried out a few this week. Their punter, Bryan Barker's net average is 29.7, which is last in the league, and last week Barker's punts of 12 and 33 yards from his own end zone, set up Jacksonville's first two scores. So, why hang onto Barker? Special teams coach Mike Stock said replacing Barker is problematic because he is also the holder. Imagine that?

The run defense.
When you think of run defense for the Giants, you think of defensive tackle Keith Hamilton. If you were unaware before, you certainly know now that he was a key component here. The Giants have given up 645 rushing yards in the three games since Hamilton suffered a torn Achilles tendon that will keep him out for the season. That works out to an average of 215 per game on just 86 carries, and 7.5 yards per rush. Before that In six games with Hamilton in the lineup, they allowed only 509 yards. In his absence, the Giants' run defense has dropped from 3rd in the league to 24th.
Some have joked with the way the Giants are playing against the run, that Keith Hamilton, even hobbling around on crutches, was in a real good position to renegotiate his contract for next year. When Keith visited practice this week, the players were glad to see him, and eagerly soaked up his encouragement. Hopefully they held a long question and answer period with him about how to be more effective.

Stephen Davis.
Running back Stephen Davis missed two games with a knee injury. He had 528 yards on 123 carries before reinjuring the knee on Oct. 27 against Indianapolis, and he is the only Redskins player in history to rush for 1,000 yards three straight years. He will be back on Sunday to play against the Giants. The forecast calls for a windy, rainy day, a bad day for passing, and maybe Spurrier will elect to use the ground game a bit more after last week's loss when he abandoned it. Davis is eager, but not a hundred percent, and has had a few fumbles this year. He will split time with rookie Kenny Watson, who had 100 yards rushing and 42 yards receiving against Seattle, and 52 yards rushing last week even with the game plan going mostly to the air.

The receivers.
The Giants had lost Ike Hilliard for the season with a torn pectoral muscle and labrum. The last week, rookie Tim Carter tore his Achilles' tendon in the second quarter, and he is also out for the season. Ron Dixon had four catches for 107 yards, but he left the game in the fourth quarter with a bruised knee, and will be sidelined for about two weeks.
The Giants picked up Pro Bowl receiver Herman Moore and Tony Simmons, and Derek Dorris. Dorris has the advantage of spending four months learning the offense before he was cut by the Giants in August. Fassel said he "could be" more inclined to use Derrick Dorris this week, because he knows the offense better.
"He doesn't have the pelts on the wall that Herman does, but the thing he's got, he was with us for seven weeks, five games and practices."
If Moore doesn't play, the Giants will likely use more two-wide receiver and two-tight end sets.

Jeremy Shockey.
The outspoken rookie was limited in practice, but will play Sunday. "He had two great days of practice and was a little sore after that," Fassel said. "He does everything, so I said, `Let's rest him."
Last week it was felt that Shockey could have done a bit better, but with limited practice time because of his injury, it just didn't happen. It looks like the Giants are trying to strike a good balance, and they need Shockey to take the heat off the wide receivers.
Shockey's take on all this - "The ones Kerry threw behind me, we just didn't have timing. Now I'm getting in there, I'm practicing, I'm going to make 'em believe me, I'm going to show them why they drafted me.

Notes:
Last week the Giants recorded five sacks, their highest total this season.
Michael Strahan, Mike Barrow, Kenny Holmes, Cornelius Griffin, and Frank Ferrara each had one.
Tiki Barber had his second straight 100-yard rushing game with 127 yards on 24 carries.
The Giants lead the all-time regular season series with Washington, 77-57-4.
Washington has had just three winning seasons in nine years since 1992, when Joe Gibbs went 9-7 in his final season.
No coach since Gibbs has had a winning record in his time in Washington.
Marty Schottenheimer was closest going 8-8 last season.
Spurrier said he will stick with Shane Matthews at quarterback.
Matthews' 5.6 yards per attempt is second worst in the league.
Matthews' is completing just 54 percent of his passes, fifth worst in the league.

Next Game
Nov 24, Giants at Houston 4:15 PM.

Last Week's review, game 9 - Giants 27 - Vikings 20