Sun Oct 30, 1:00 pm (FOX) - Washington at Giants
Giants have to shake it off.
The players have had a lot to deal with coming off the inspirational last minute win over the Broncos last Sunday. While happy to provide some small measure of comfort to the Mara family for
their efforts, they then had to face the cold reality on Tuesday that you can only do so much on the playing field to affect real life. It's a hard distinction to draw since Wellington Mara
lived so fully in both worlds that they became one and the same to those who had the honor of knowing him for any length of time.
This week's memories of the loss, followed by funeral proceedings and shows of honor and respect to Giants co-owner Wellington Mara, will somehow have to be put aside in order to play a productive
football game. Only by remembering what the game meant to Wellington Mara will they be able to do something so difficult.
Redskins on alert.
As much as they might have been touched by the passing of such an important figure in the NFL, it could not have had the same impact on the practice field for the Redskins. Their thoughts
this week were mostly focused on planning to stop Eli Manning and an offense that averages over 28 points a game. This is clearly not the same Manning who completed just 12-of-25 passes for
113 yards last year against the Redskins, who dominated the game and walked away with a 31-7 win.
They also have their focus on Manning's main target, Plaxico Burress, who has 36 catches, 535 yards and 5 touchdowns through six games. Plaxico had been sidelined for most of the week with
a sore shoulder, but he got some practice in on Friday, The Redskins also have seen what Jeremy Shockey and Amani Toomer can do, but their dominant defense has allowed only 157.5 yards per
game through the air. The Redskins rank 4th in the NFL on a defense that has mostly been without the gameplay of LaVar Arrington, who was unleashed on San Francisco just last week to come
away with 9 tackles.
LaVar Arrington.
LaVar Arrington, who had made just two tackles in the team's first five games, lost his starting job while he was out with a knee injury last season. There
has also been some give and take between Arrington and the coaches. Gregg Williams, the assistant head coach for defense, has said that Arrington needs to practice better, and Joe Bugel said
that the team can't play someone who mixes one flashy play with four or five bad ones. Last week against San Francisco, Arrington strung together quite a few good plays, and Williams
said that Arrington will be in as many packages as he can get him on the field against the Giants.
Mark Brunell.
Mark Brunell, a 35-year-old quarterback who once played for Tom Coughlin, leads the league's second-ranked offense. He has tossed at least two touchdown passes in each of the last 5 games.
Brunell hit receiver Santana Moss pretty good last week for a 32-yard TD reception and five catches for 112 yards, giving him his fourth 100-yard game in five weeks. Former Giant Dave Patten
is another target and has caught 18 passes for 187 yards. Mark Brunell is the real deal this year.
Antonio Pierce.
Pierce had a great season with Washington last year, logging 112 tackles, 1 sack and 2 interceptions, but the Redskins sometimes tend to be more excited
with free agents than existing players on their own team. They gave Pierce an offer he has termed as ridiculous, and on the first day of free agency, the Giants came up with a six-year, $26
million deal.
Pierce is as intense about proving people wrong as he is at playing the game. Coming out of Arizona and then going undrafted, he even keeps a notebook of the 30 linebackers drafted in 2001.
When one of those players is cut, he crosses the name off the list. Pierce leads the Giants with 49 tackles.
Let's not forget.
Let's not forget that the Redskins just barely won their first three games (Chicago 9-7, Dallas 14-13, Seattle 20-17), and lost the next two ( Denver 19-21, Kansas City 21-28), before unloading
on the NFC's worst team, San Francisco 52-17. The 49er's have lost their last five games and their defense ranks dead last in the league.
Let's also not forget that the Giants defense ranks next to last in the league and they are going up against the 2nd ranked offense.
WTM.
The Giants will wear a white patch with the letters "WTM" in black on their uniforms for the remainder of the season in honor of Wellington Mara, who died Tuesday. The flags at Giants Stadium
will remain at half-staff through Sunday's game. The game will be preceded by a moment of silence. Then, Mara's granddaughter Kate will sing the national anthem. A video tribute to Mara's
life will be presented on the scoreboard at the half.
Notes.
Former Giant David Patten has appeared in 2 games against them, has 3 receptions, and all for 1st downs.
Giants are first in the NFC with a plus-nine turnover differential.
The Giants average starting point after receiving a kickoff is the 30.3-yard line, the best in the NFC.
Jeff Feagles 40.3-yard net punting average places him first in the NFC.
Tiki Barber has averaged at least 4.2 yards or more per carry since 1999.
Michael Strahan has played in 181 games as a Giant, and is directly behind Lawrence Taylor and Joe Morrison, both tied for 4th on the games-played list with 184.
Barrett Green was placed on injured reserve this week because of a nagging ankle injury.
Giants did not record a sack last Sunday, the first Giants game without a sack since Oct. 27, 1991, a 17-13 loss to the Washington Redskins.
Next Game.
Nov 6,Giants at San Francisco 4:05 PM - FOX.
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