Sun Sept 21, 4:00 pm (FOX) - Giants at Washington
Jim Fassel.
After Monday night's game, head coach Jim Fassel commented that he had a short work week to prepare the Giants for Washington. It actually works in his favor. The press has been brutal on him
for the way they perceive he blew the Dallas game. The shorter the work week, the fewer newspaper headlines to deal with.
In case you were somewhere in Siberia, here's a sample few - Fassel Still in Tuna's Shadow - Fassel left his guts in San Francisco - Blame Fassel for Loss, Not for Ending - Fassel Fool - Fans
Deserve Better From Fassel.
Deserved or not, there is no room for mistakes this week from the Giants, playing against another division team, and a head coach who seems to be on his game.
Steve Spurrier.
Washington is 2-0 for the first time since 1991, the season of its last Super Bowl championship. The head coach is not impressed. "We've got to be more disciplined in everything we do," Spurrier
said. "We're not a real good team right now. We're 2-0. We've beat a couple teams in close games. But for us to sit around and think we're hot stuff -- both of them could have gone the other
way if a play or two go bad. We've got a lot of work to do. We've got to play a lot better."
One thing Spurrier could be referring to was that his team had to come back from a 17-point deficit in order to beat the Atlanta Falcons 33-31 last week, and that his quarterback Patrick Ramsey
was sacked five times in the first half, losing the ball a couple of times.
"To beat the Giants, we have to play our best game of the year," he said. "We can't go out there and have 12 penalties and five turnovers, like we did last year in the game at FedEx Field."
Patrick Ramsey and Laveranues Coles.
Ramsey has completed 67.7 percent of his passes, thanks in part to the addition of wide receiver Laveranues Coles, who used to play for the Jets. Ramsey has completed 42 of 62 passes for 541
yards, three touchdowns and an interception and has a quarterback rating of 104.3. He suffered a left shoulder sprain in the Atlanta game, and sat out the full team drills during Wednesday's
practice while backup quarterback Rob Johnson ran the offense. .
Together, Patrick Ramsey and Laveranues Coles have hooked up 16 times for 286 yards and one touchdown. Last week, Coles was shaken up early in the game,
but recovered to set career highs with 11 catches for 180 yards. Coles got a $17 million signing bonus when he went to the Redskins, and it looks like they're
getting their money's worth.
Redskins Defense.
If the Giants actually find time to throw the ball, they may have an added measure of success as cornerback Fred Smoot is unsure for Sunday's game. Smoot was knocked
temporarily unconscious when he collided with safety Matt Bowen while participating in a passing drill during the Washington Redskins' practice on Thursday, and he suffered a mild concussion.
His replacement would be third cornerback Rashad Bauman, who sat out the second half of the victory Sunday at Atlanta because of a strained hamstring muscle. "You can't replace Fred Smoot,"
said the Redskins' other starting cornerback, Champ Bailey. "You can't replace his talent, his energy. He's one of those guys who's one of a kind. It's definitely going to hurt this team.
. . . I think [Bauman] is ready to do it. He's not Fred, and everybody knows that. But he's a quality corner, and he can go in and get the job done."
Jessie Armstead.
Armstead didn't seem to be totally in tune playing for the Redskins last year but seems to have settled in now. Last season he recorded 3 sacks for the entire year, and he now has 2 in just
two games. The way the Giants have been struggling with the offensive line, Jessie could be looking to make some NY headlines this time out.
Armstead says, "There's always an extra incentive when you know all the guys and you've been to war with them over there. It's going to be a very intense and physical game."
The worries on offense.
This week it's the same thing we said before last game, and the game before that. The Giants weak point is the line, Luke
Petitgout will be back for this one, and that will certainly help. Chris Bober had trouble making the move from center to right tackle, but says he has it figured out now. Jeremy Shockey had
a career-high 11 receptions and his first career 100-yard receiving game against Washington last Nov. 17 and the Giants could use a big game from him here.
The worries on defense.
After a great opening game against the Rams, the Giants defense seemed to degenerate against Dallas to resemble the one on the field for the playoffs against San Francisco last year. It didn't
help that Keith Hamilton had to leave the game with a pulled hamstring, and he may not play in this game. The Giants passing defense is ranked 31st in the league.
Notes:
Washington has won its first two games for the first time since 1991, when the Redskins last won the Super Bowl.
Washington is 2-0 playing against the Jets and Falcons who were without their starting quarterbacks.
The Giants started three rookie offensive linemen in last week's Dallas game: David Diehl at right guard, Wayne Lucier at center and Jeff Roehl at left tackle.
The last time an NFL team started three rookie offensive linemen in the same game was Oct. 18, 1981, when the Redskins started Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby and Mark May in a 13-10 loss at Miami.
Washington quarterback Patrick Ramsey has been sacked 10 times in the first two games.
New York Giants defense has recorded 10 sacks in the first two games.
Amani Toomer has had a touchdown catch in each of the previous three games against Washington.
Since 1960, the Giants and Redskins have met in 84 regular-season games.
According to the NFL, during that time they have been separated by only one touchdown: Giants 204, Redskins 203.
Next Game
Giants have their bye week, and then host Miami on Oct 5 at 1PM.
|
