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Giants (4-2) vs Redskins
(3-3)
The fans hoped to see an end
to the Redskins eight home game losing streak last Sunday
and watched as their team fell
behind 9-0 to the Vikings on three straight possessions. The first
quarter was nearing an end and they were already outgained 148
yards to 7. Robert Griffin III, coming off a concussion the week
earlier, had thrown an interception and things were not looking
good. Everything changed after that starting with their next drive
and once they went ahead they never looked back. The loyal fans
were treated to a 38-26 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
The Giants broke the hearts of the San Francisco fans last season
when they won the Championship game at Candlestick Park. Last
Sunday they left no doubt in the fans and players minds, that
the Giants are the dominate team. The 49ers had 9 sacks in their
first five games and came away with none against Eli Manning.
Their defense was ranked at the top in stopping the run and the
Giants 141 rushing yards made them equivalent to 26th. The Giants
defense did their part as well with 6 sacks and 3 interceptions
and by the time the Giants were done the scoreboard read - Giants
26, San Francisco 3.
Washington
Redskins.
Their last big hurrah was
making it as a 9-7 'one and done' wild card team in 2007. Double
digit wins elude this team and that has happened only twice since
1991 and with the bare minimum, 10-6. Since the wildcard they've
been 8-8, 4-12, 6-10 and 5-11. Now, of those those five wins in
2011, two of them were against the Giants and they have since
added Robert Griffin III. Was it worth it and should the Giants
be worried? First let's look at a few things. Griffin was an expensive
player to obtain.
The Redskins traded their first and second round picks and even
threw in their first rounders for 2013 and 2014 just to get their
hands on him. Griffin's been good out of the box, has already
had the longest touchdown run by an NFL quarterback since 1996
and is 15th overall in the NFL in total rushing yards. Only running
back C.J. Spiller is above him in yards per carry. Griffin completes
just over 70 percent of his passes and has a quarterback rating
of 100.5.
So to answer the question we raised, we'll say only two teams
get to the Super Bowl and only one wins. There are 31 teams left
with disappointed fans. How many can say that they saw some amazing
things over the year and had a quarterback who can pull out a
win in any game they face? So yes, Griffin was worth it and yes,
the Giants should be worried.
Redskins
offense.
Robert Griffin III ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns and threw
for another. One touchdown run was a 76-yarder with 2:43 left
to play, and so his team ended an eight-game home losing streak
last Sunday. It looks like this rookie can do it all. He leads
all the quarterback with his rushing yardage and ranks 15th overall
with the running backs included, but don't forget the other rookie,
sixth-round pick Alfred Morris.
He's the fourth leading rusher
in the NFL with 538 yards going into week seven and has
five touchdowns, and 18 runs of 10 yards or more. They picked
up wide receiver Pierre Garcon on the opening day of free agency
to be their big receiver (five-year, $42.5 million deal) but he's
been missing games with foot problems. He's the only receiver
to record over 80 yards in a game so far. Tight end Fred Davis
is the team leader with 23 catches and 312 receiving yards. Santana
Moss, Josh Morgan and Leonard Hankerson each have 16 catches.
Redskins defense.
This defense is tough against
the run, but they give up lots of passing yardage. They rank dead
last in the league in that area and by a big margin. They've given
up 1970 passing yards in six games and that's 409 more than 31st
ranked Tampa Bay. They have given up 26 passing plays of at least
20 yards, the most in the league. They can hit back and have eight
interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns and
last week's game featured 4 sacks. Their rushing defense has allowed
just 88.8 yards per game and 15-year veteran linebacker London
Fletcher, even at age 37, leads the team with 80 tackles. Former
Giant Barry Cofield improved the line when he came over and likely
tipped the scales in the Redskins favor last year. He'll be looking
forward to making a statement again this year. The Giants have
combined for 392 yards rushing in their wins over the Browns and
49ers, so this will be interesting.
Giants offense.
Eli Manning wasn't his sharpest
last week but he still completed 15 of his 28 passes for 193 yards
and a touchdown. The offensive line has been giving him time in
the pocket and have kept him unsacked the last three games to
lead the league in that area. They've allowed just five sacks
in six games. The blocking, assisted by the tight ends and the
running backs, has the team looking like a playoff team once again.
Domenik Hixon, Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks combined for most
of the damage to the 49er defenders, including keeping the ball
out of their hands once or twice.
Ahmad Bradshaw leads the team
with 92 carries and with 449 rushing yards. He also has 3 touchdowns,
but the Giants have to be careful about wearing him out. He's
carried the ball 57 times in the last two games where he's rushed
for 200 yards and 116 yards. The two games were career high carries
for him, but he needed an IV to treat cramping after the 49er
game and he's missed some practice this week. Andre Brown had
some breakout runs before suffering a concussion and David Wilson
has also shown some life. They could figure to have bigger roles
in this game in order to preserve Bradshaw.
Giants
defense.
Well they haven't just been
savoring the feeling of being Super Bowl Champions. They brought
the feeling to the field against the 49ers. They felt challenged
by the comments that the 49ers deserved the playoff win. Tom Coughlin
will try to have them feel the challenge of being 0-3 in the division
if they lose to the Redskins. They had beaten Cleveland then turned
it on last week against real competition - six sacks and three
interceptions and only 80 rushing yards allowed. They stopped
Frank Gore and now will be tested by Robert Griffin III and Alfred
Morris. Adrian Tracy could be a factor. He played 12 snaps and
finished with four tackles and a sack against the 49ers. Defensive
tackle Chris Canty has been activated from the physically unable
to perform list and should play. That would be a big help considering
Rocky Bernard has missed the last two games.
Overall.
This is an important division
game for the Giants who have dropped their first two and it will
be the first NFC East game that Griffin will play in. Some of
these players know their opponents tendencies first hand but it
will all be new to him. The Giants defensive unit has faced a
few quick quarterbacks already this season including last years
rookie star, Cam Newton, so they know the drill. The NFC East
games are always a battle and these two teams will bring their
best.
NFC East
On Sunday at 1pm, at the same time the Giants take on the Redskins,
the Panthers (1-4) will host the Cowboys (2-3).
The Eagles are on a bye week. The Giants and Cowboys are favored
to win their games.
From thirty two to sixteen
to six to three to two to one.
Houston was not able to keep
up the pace and took their first loss of the season last week
42-24 to Green Bay. That leaves Atlanta in the NFC as the only
undefeated team with a 6-0 record. They are on a bye this week
so nothing will change, The Browns beat the Bengals 34-24 last
Sunday and they join the ranks of five other teams in the NFL
with just one win.
Check out.
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Notes.
Giants Victor Cruz has 125
receptions and 2,032 yards through 25 games.
Giants have gone 13 quarters without
surrendering a sack.
Giants two division losses were
24-17 to the Cowboys and 19-17 to Philadelphia.
Giants had won 6 consecutive games
against Washington before dropping two straight last year.
Redskins Robert Griffin III was named
the NFL's rookie of the week for last weekend's games.
Redskins London Fletcher has had
135 tackles in the 14 games he's played against the Giants.
Next Games
Oct 28 - Giants at Cowboys.
Giants Tickets - Buy
or Sell
Nov 4 - Pittsburgh
at Giants.
Giants Tickets - Buy
or Sell
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