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Giants vs Washington
For the second year in a row, the Giants open the season hosting the Redskins.
They were good guests last year, leaving the stadium with a 16-7 loss. Washington
looked to be getting things together, winning the next four games including two
against division rivals Dallas and Philadelphia. They were 6-2 at the middle of
the season, but by the time the dust settled the Redskins were lost in that dust,
settling for an 8-8 record, The Giants looked like the Super Bowl team they were
the year before. They were at 7-1 at the half, took that to 11-1 but then things
got real tough for a number of reasons. The Giants won the division with their
12-4 record, but lost the playoff game to Philadelphia. Quarterback
- Washington
During the Redskins 6-2 start
Jason Campbell held an 8-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio. In the 2-6 second
half of the season Campbell's stats faded when he threw more interceptions than
touchdowns 6-5. Dan Snyder was eyeing Jay Cutler and Mark Sanchez in the offseason
and Campbell even saw fans wearing No. 7 jerseys and holding up "DC WANTS
VICK" signs. Campbell said, "Some fans, I guess they forgot about the
good things. The first eight games [in 2008], I'm still that same quarterback."
Some blame Campbell for the second half decline and others look to the rest of
the offense that was hit with injuries, young players showing their inexperience,
and everyone coping with Jim Zorn's West Coast offense. Quarterback
- Giants
After last season when the Giants
finished up losing that last playoff game to the Eagles, Eli Manning picked up
the tag of being a real good quarterback as far as managing a game, but not a
real accurate passer. The thought being that having a wide receiver like Plaxico
Burress with long arm reach is essential. Right or wrong, with Plaxico Burress
and sure handed Amani Toomer gone Eli Manning will be exposed this game as to
what he can athletically do. The easy out is to work with the short passing game
to the running backs and tight end, and once in awhile hope that one of the wide
receivers breaks free and deserves a well thrown pass way down the field. By the
way, pressure has never been an issue for this quarterback, and by hook or crook,
Eli Manning has led the Giants to the playoffs for four straight years Giants
Defense with Steve Spagnuolo.
Dial things
back to September 23, 2007. Steve Spagnuolo was the Giants rookie defensive coordinator
and his group was ranked 28th in the NFL after allowing 80 points and 2 losses
in their first two games. They next was an away game against - you guessed it
- the Redskins who were coming off victories in their first two games. That's
the day the Giants defense suddenly 'got it'. After spotting the Redskins a 17-3
halftime lead, the Giants left town with a 24-17 win. During that game the Redskins
used up 35 minutes of game time without making a first down and ran six consecutive
drives (for 20 plays excluding punts and a field goal) without moving the chains.
The Giants defense has been awesome after that, but now they are missing one key
ingredient - Steve Spagnuolo. Giants
Defense with Bill Sheridan.
Fast forward
to 2009 and now Bill Sheridan is the rookie defensive coordinator and his first
challenge is against the Redskins. You could say he comes to the job with a stacked
deck since he was the Giants linebackers coach under Spagnuolo and his style of
defense is known to the players through practice and experience. Osi Umenyiora
is back and healthy this year. The Giants have also picked up Mike Boley though
he's not available for this game. The Giants sure could use a smooth transition,
but Bill will have to know which tools to use when and can he keep eager 'talent'
sitting on the bench happy? Redskins
Defense with Albert Haynesworth.
Does he
deserve his own header? Well maybe so. At 350 pounds and sought after by both
the Giants and Redskins with the trophy awarded to the highest bidder (Dan Snyder
of course), All-Pro tackle Haynesworth is now the icing on the cake to a Redskins
defense that was already tops at stopping the run (eighth-best rushing defense),
and guess what? Right now the Giants have to be a more run oriented team until
they see something positive from their group of wide receivers. Current hope is
placed on 2009 first-round draft pick Hakeem Nicks who had a very promising preseason.
The rookie faces a Redskins team that finished seventh overall in pass defense
last season. Giant Concerns.
Everyone
has heard enough about the offensive concerns in the passing game, but does the
defense have a weakness? What's going on in the Giants secondary? Remember James
Butler, Sammy Knight, Sam Madison, R. W. McQuarters? - All gone. Oh well there's
always Corey Webster, Kevin Dockery and Aaron Ross, but they've been missing playing
time for various ailments. Let's hope the Giants defense is tough up front for
this game. Andre Woodson.
Quarterback
Andre Woodson was signed to the Redskins' practice squad after he was cut by the
Giants. Coach Jim Zorn said that Woodson "throws a pretty good deep ball... He's
running the scout team, obviously, and that's the way he's going to help us."
Zorn also elaborated that he may have a future with the Redskins. Woodson certainly
has a lot of information about how the Giants go about running plays and that
could be very helpful to the Redskins for this first game of the season. NFC
East.
The Eagles open their season Sunday at 1:00PM at Carolina the
same time as the Cowboys play at Tampa Bay. The Cowboys host the Giants the following
Sunday at 8:20 PM in their new stadium. The Giants, Cowboys and Eagles are all
favored to win their games ths weekend. 
Check
out.
The Team
Giants Store, and see some of the really unique items we put together.
There are some items you certainly haven't seen elsewhere, and each sale helps
out our site. Notes.
The
players elected Eli Manning, Jeff Feagles and Antonio Pierce as the captains of
the 2009 Giants. Giants rushing attack
in 2007 finished fourth in the NFL behind the Vikings, Jaguars, and Steelers,
Brandon Jacobs: - "I had 1,000 yards in 11 games. If I could play 16, I'll lead
the league."
Giants in 2008 had two
1,000-yard running backs, Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward and led the league with
a 157.4 yard average. Giants Hakeem Nicks
had an NFL-leading preseason total of 9 catches for 272 yards. Redskins
DT Albert Haynesworth knocked New England's Tom Brady out of a preseason game. Redskins
Jim Zorn is the sixth head coach under Dan Snyder, who bought the team in 1999.
Last
season in his first outing as head coach they dropped both games to the Giants
16-7, 23-7.
Next
Game
Sept.
20 Giants at Dallas at 8:20PM.
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Home Game
Oct. 11 Oakland at Giants at 1:00PM.
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