The Giants will play their first divisional game of the season Thursday night as they take on the (1-2) Washington Redskins at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. Division games are always important, but this game is particularly important to both teams as they look to remain in striking distance of the 1st place Philadelphia Eagles.
The Giants are coming off their first win of the season as they put on a dominant performance defeating the Houston Texans 30-17. Rashad Jennings was the workhorse for the Giants, carrying the ball 34 times for a career high 176 yards. Washington is coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Philadelphia Eagles 37-34.
Here’s how the Giants matchup against Washington’s offense and defense:
Giants’ offense vs. Washington’s defense: Washington has sustained devastating injuries to their secondary with cornerback D’Angelo Hall and safety Duke Ihenacho lost for the year. This bodes well for the Giants as they’re getting more acclimated with their new west coast offense. So far this year, Eli Manning is completing 65% of his passes and did not turn the ball over last week. Look for the Giants to exploit Washington’s depleted secondary by throwing the ball early and often. Running back Rashad Jennings will still play a pivotal role in the Giants’ offense, but since Washington’s defense only yields 64 yards a game on the ground, it’s unlikely that Jennings will carry the ball 30 times as he did the previous game.
Giants’ defense vs. Washington’s offense: The Giants are hopeful that middle linebacker Jon Beason will return from his foot injury and play on Thursday night to help stop Washington’s ground game which is currently 9th in the NFL. If Beason is unable to play, expect Jameel McClain to move from outside linebacker to inside linebacker.
Whether Beason plays or not, the Giants should be able to contain Washington’s running game. But if the Giants are going to win they need to slow down Washington’s passing game which is currently averaging 308 yards per game, which is 3rd in the NFL. The Giants must pressure quarterback Kirk Cousins to throw him off rhythm and to prevent big plays. Washington’s most explosive player on offense is receiver DeSean Jackson who has a history of making big plays against the Giants. This is one of the reasons the Giants acquired cornerback Domique Rodgers-Cromartie in the offseason. Expect the Cromartie to matchup with Jackson whether he’s in the slot or on the outside.
Prediction: Typically Thursday night games tend to be low scoring, especially when it involves division rivals. So this game could come down to special teams or which team makes a big play at a crucial moment. Right now the Giants are a better-rounded team, as the Redskins are still accustomed to having Kirk Cousins as their quarterback. The Giants will win a hard fought game 24-20.