Hold Your Bets On The Redskins Against The Giants

Here's how you spell Redskins Football over the past five weeks:

E-A-S-Y-M-O-N-E-Y.

Though Washington has gone 2-3 over the past five games, the Redskins have been 5-0 against the spread.

If you are like me (and I know I am), you gamble the way you invest: wait until the trend is clear and drop your stake when everyone else is getting out. Then cry like a little girl when you lose your assets.

Washington was eight to 10 point underdogs for every game but the Oakland Raiders, when they were two point favorites. You know the results, a 10 point win, a one point loss, a pair of three point losses and an 11 point win.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. But, lets not crash Vegas to support our Skins tonight.

The gambling sharps knew the gaming public discounted the Snyderskins. Who could blame them? So spreads were set to entice bets and did not change. Even after Washington upset the Denver Broncos, they were nine point dogs to opponents over the next three weeks.

Outside of Washington, folks didn't know that the Skins played better with the hungry guys, who were much more fun to watch, too. They still may not know.

I travelled last weekend and found that ESPN didn't bother to show a video recap of the Redskins-Raiders game Sunday night or anytime Monday. In a sense, America is getting its first look at the new Redskins.

But gambling sites are catching on. Bodog.com, for example, has the Giants as three point favorites. Those easy to cover spreads have evaporated as the Skins improved.

I suggest you hold on to your wallets and just enjoy the game.

It's beastly weather in an outdoor stadium. Beastball means run the ball, stop the run in December. The Redskins have improved on the strength of Jason Campbell's arm and the click going on in the minds of Fred Davis and Devin Thomas. They finally "get" pro football.

The Giant defense looks vulnerable, especially in pass coverage.  The G-men's secondary has given up 19 touchdowns in the last eight games. Cornerbacks Corey Webster (knee) is listed as Doubtful and Aaron Ross (hamstring) is questionable.

On the Giant's O-line, right tackle Kareem McKenzie (knee) is Doubtful. 

Funny as it sounds, New York has to run the ball to keep Campbell on the bench.

For the Skins, Big Al Haynesworth is probable and DT Cornelius Griffin and CB DeAngelo Hall are questionable. "Questionable" is a code word for they're going to play on Monday Night Football. 

Haynesworth playing should be good news to Washington's defensive ends, especially rookie Brian Orakpo. The Redskins have played Orakpo more from the right defense end position in recent games. Right defensive end is the designated pass rushing end position.

Rotating Orakpo with Andre Carter from that position is wise on Washington's part. It's what they should have done with Jason Taylor last season.

The attempt to make Taylor a run-stopping left defensive end was a failed experiment and a waste of the league-leading sack master's talent. (Taylor's freak calf injury didn't help.) So it's good to see Greg Blache relent on Carter as the only RDE of the Redskins.

Bodog.com has installed Orakpo as the 3-2 favorite to win Rookie Of The Year honors. 

Be leery of the point spread and mindful that the Giants are 7-2 against the Redskins over the past five seasons. Yet, these next three games are as close as the Skins will get to the playoffs. The players have a new deputy to impress. For them, the future is now.

Redskins 27, Giants 21