Giants - Redskins
1999 Game 10 - 4PM ET

Round 2 - The Rematch

The rematch for the title.
The title being of course, which team will be in first place in the NFC East with or without the company of the Dallas Cowboys.
Only a tie here (there have been none in the NFL this year) would put the Cowboys on top if they win against Arizona.

How the numbers add up for Washington.
If you look at division records, which are very important for playoff tiebreakers, the Giants and Cowboys are the best today at 3-2.
If they both win on Sunday, they will be at 4-2.
Cards and Eagles would be 2-3, and Washington would trail at 2-4.
What this means of course, is that a loss here for Washington knocks them into a position where the best they can do is finish at 4-4 against the other teams in the NFC East.
The Giants and Cowboys play each other one more time and one of them would be ahead with 5 wins.
On the other hand, if Washington wins it would just tighten things up even more as they would be 3-3 along with the Giants and Cowboys if Dallas loses their game.

Playing for pride
As important as the numbers are, for these teams, there is a lot of pride at stake as well. Many of the Giants, especially the players on defense, felt the burn of having the Redskins turn their first three possessions into touchdowns for a 21-0 lead in the first quarter.
That was more points than the Giants defense has allowed in four quarters in any other of its past 13 games.
The Redskins didn't stop there, and went on to win the game, 50-21.
Here's how the Giants feel about that.

Defensive tackle Keith Hamilton,
"This game may be the most important game of the season.
We've been talking about that 50-21 game since it happened.
I haven't forgotten about it, and this is the 10th game of the season. We've never had a team go through us like that. We'll be ready. I'm sure everyone here has it in the back of his mind. I always say I have to take it one game at a time, but that game is here now."

DE Michael Strahan,
"That 50 points is still with me. I haven't forgotten it yet.
If you're not ready to play Washington this week, the way we got beat here in our place the last time, then get off the team. Just get off the team."

What's up with the Skins?
The Redskins beat up on the Bears just three weeks ago 48-22, almost as badly as they beat the Giants 50-21 in their first meeting. Since then, the Redskins lost two straight games to first Buffalo 17-34, and then last week to the Eagles 28-35. QB Brad Johnson threw 3 interceptions and fumbled twice.
So now, they have dropped three of four since taking a 4-1 start, and are coming off this 2 game losing streak to face the Giants who they know will have it in for them, thanks in part to the Redskins 50 point scoring blast from their first encounter.

The Redskins lost to the Eagles last week with a rookie quarterback making his first start. They gave up 35 points, even though Donovan McNabb threw for just 60 yards, and the way their schedule is laid out, they face them again next week. Their new owner is trying to force performance by firings. The players have defensive ideas thrown at them from hired on defensive consultant Bill Arnsparger, and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan.
They have to feel as though they are walking through some sort of nightmare. Even the name of the Stadium they play in changes this Sunday. Now it will be FedEx Stadium.
And still, it's hard to figure what the Giants will have to do in order to win against the Redskins defense.
Everywhere you look, you see talented players, and yet teams are somehow able to put drives together and score on them.
I would say that if the Giants defense holds the Redskins down, and the offense doesn't put it together on a team that allows an average of around 28 points a game, it will create that lockeroom rift that Fassel has somehow managed to avoid all year.

One big difference
One big thing to remember is that Jason Sehorn did not play in that first game with the Redskins. He was one game short of returning and watched on the sidelines while his replacement, Jeremy Lincoln was burned time and time again by Brad Johnson.
The Giants got no sacks on Brad that game, but were all over him as he scrambled and tossed the ball towards Lincoln's way for big plays. Imagine how Strahan felt by the end of that game.
Well, don't expect the same results with Jason Sehorn in there.
Remember, in his last year of play, Sehorn had 6 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles and 1 1/2 sacks. He's not back to that level of play, but he will make an impact this game.

The Redskins top receiver, Michael Westbrook, has a broken bone in his right wrist but is intent on playing this week.
If he does, it could work against the Skins to have him in there.

Cornerback Phillippi Sparks has a sore hip and that could be a problem, and Safety Percy Ellsworth is attempting a comeback from a broken left foot. Actually, with Conrad Hamilton, Shaun Williams and Andre Weathers injured, the third corner Sunday will be Jeremy Lincoln or Emmanuel McDaniel, who was signed off the practice squad.

That strange call on the kickoff in last week's game
The NFL upheld the touchback call basically saying that since the ball still was alive and bouncing, and since it is a free ball, Colt rookie Terrence Wilkins was within his rights to tap the ball to himself in the end zone and down it.
Had the ball stopped bouncing or rolling before Wilkins tapped it into the end zone, he would have been obliged to carry it out or be tagged for a safety.

Last Notes
Redskins Park will officially be named FedEx Stadium Sunday. The stadium was originally named Jack Kent Cooke Stadium after the team's former owner.

Giants lead the series 75-54-4.

The Giants will travel by train to the game, the first time they have done so in the regular season since the early 1960s.

Giants Kicker, Cary Blanchard, was a Redskin in 1998.

QB Brad Johnson ranks 3rd in the NFL with a QB rating of 97.5.
In the first game against the Giants, he completed 20 of 28 passes for 231 yards, and had 3 TD passes.

Stephen Davis had TD runs on each of the Redskins first 3 possessions in their first meeting with the Giants.
Stephen Davis has 851 rushing yards, which is more than the entire Giants team. He also leads the NFL with 14 TDs.

WR Michael Westbrook is averaging 20.4 yards on 40 receptions.

Redskins are 31st in total defense, 30th against the rush, 30th against the pass.

In 1996 the Redskins started the season 7-1, then lost 6 of its final 8 games and missed the playoffs.

Next week
Giants at home against Arizona on Sunday Nov 28, at 1 PM.
Redskins at home against Philadelphia on Sunday Nov 28, at 1 PM.

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1999 NFC EAST - Week 10
Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	Home	Away	AFC	NFC	DIV	Streak
Washington	5	4	0	.556	287	257	2-2	3-2	1-1	4-3	2-3	L2
NY Giants	5	4	0	.556	157	165	3-2	2-2	0-2	5-2	3-2	L1
Dallas	5	4	0	.556	226	169	4-0	1-4	0-1	5-3	3-2	W1
Arizona	3	6	0	.333	115	187	2-3	1-3	0-3	3-3	2-2	W1
Philadelphia	3	7	0	.300	149	212	2-3	1-4	0-2	3-5	2-3	W1