Giants vs. Redskins: Full New York Game Preview
The New York Giants are coming off their bye week and should be well-rested for their divisional showdown with the Washington Redskins.
After dropping a Week 3 tilt to the Giants 32-21, the Redskins are going to be out for revenge on their home field. They were blown out last week by the Carolina Panthers, 44-16, and badly need to bounce back.
The Giants will be looking to get back in the win column after a devastating loss to the New England Patriots in Week 10 when another lapse in clock management led to a familiar fourth-quarter collapse.
A Giants loss would pull the Redskins even with them atop the NFC East, something Big Blue desperately needs to avoid.
Location: FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Week 11 Results and Recap
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The Giants caught a break on their bye last week, as the Redskins and Eagles were both blown out and failed to capitalize on the chance to pull into a first-place tie in the NFC East.
The Cowboys defeated the Dolphins and still have a chance at making a late-season run with quarterback Tony Romo and wide receiver Dez Bryant fully healthy.
NFC East Standings
New York Giants (5-5)
Washington Redskins (4-6)
Philadelphia Eagles (4-6)
Dallas Cowboys (3-7)
News and Notes
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What to Expect from Hakeem Nicks
When asked about Nicks' impact, head coach Tom Coughlin had this to say, courtesy of Jordan Raanan of NJ.com:
"We're going to have to find that out. That is what this week's practice is all about. We'll have him on scout team doing a lot of things so we can see how he plays in that regard. And then we'll have to judge how fast he comes along with learning.
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It doesn't sound as if Nicks will suddenly become Eli Manning's top option again on Sunday.
Nicks had a few great seasons with the Giants from 2009-13, including back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons in 2010 and 2011. He spent last season with the Colts and was one of the NFL's biggest disappointments, originally pegged for a huge season with QB Andrew Luck.
Offensive Line in Flux
Unfortunately for the Giants, left guard Justin Pugh still isn't ready to take the field. In fact, his injury situation may be more severe than originally thought.
"According to coach Tom Coughlin, he's seen 'very little' improvement over the last three weeks," Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News wrote of Pugh.
Pugh has been out of action since Nov. 8 due to a concussion that has apparently not subsided just yet.
Latest Injury News
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For the first time in a long time, the New York Giants are finally getting healthy.
Rather than the usual lengthy injury report, the list is quite short coming off their bye week. Of course, it's also after Victor Cruz and Jon Beason have been ruled out for the season rather than their ongoing week-to-week designation prior to a few weeks ago.
The good news is that center Weston Richburg seems to be making progress and may play on Sunday.
"He’s going to be limited and we’ll see,” Coughlin said, per Giants.com. “We expect to hope to have him take a limited number of snaps."
On the other side, tight end Larry Donnell and linebacker Mark Herzlich didn't practice on Wednesday. Pugh, as previously noted, has failed to make significant progress in his recovery from a concussion.
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Key Matchups
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Giants defense vs. Jordan Reed
It's been no secret how terrible the Giants have been covering tight ends this season.
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski added to that in Week 10, racking up 113 yards and a touchdown.
In his first meeting with the Giants this season, Jordan Reed had six catches for 96 yards, and he will look to continue his success on Sunday.
During a three-game stretch from Weeks 7 to 10, Reed amassed five touchdowns, making him a legitimate threat in the red zone against Big Blue.
Jason Pierre-Paul vs. Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins lost two fumbles last Sunday and tossed another interception, further proving the case that he has a penchant for turnovers when pressured.
Though the Giants pass rush has been poor this season as a whole, it showed some life against the Patriots in Week 10 and may be waking up.
Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul had an extended week of practice and conditioning and should look even more like his former self on Sunday. He could be a difference-maker in the trenches against Cousins and the 'Skins.
Redskins RBs vs. Giants defense
The Redskins had a brutal ground game on Sunday and totaled 14 rushing yards as a team against the Panthers, with Cousins accruing four of them.
The Redskins have now rushed for 51 yards or fewer in five of their last six games and rank just No. 25 in the league after a hot start to the season.
If they can't move the ball on the ground, the Giants defensive line can run downhill and focus all of their energy on beating up Cousins. When the Redskins become one-dimensional, the game usually turns ugly quite quickly.
Matchup X-Factors
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Giants X-Factor of the Week: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is tied for the team lead with three interceptions this season, making him an interesting player to watch against Cousins on Sunday.
The 29-year-old missed the first meeting between the two teams and the Giants still managed to keep the Redskins' aerial attack in check, but this Sunday, DRC will likely be tasked with covering DeSean Jackson.
Jackson, who also missed the first game between the NFC East rivals, has killed the Giants in seasons past with his game-breaking abilities on offense and special teams. He's a legitimate deep threat and is capable of hitting a home run at any time, so he won't be an easy cover for Rodgers-Cromartie.
Prediction: Giants 29, Redskins 16
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The Redskins will be playing at home with the incentive that a victory would give them a tie for first place, but at the end of the day, they just don't have the talent to knock off the Giants.
I think the Redskins are much closer to the team that got embarrassed by the Panthers than the one that blew out the Saints. Though they have some good offensive weapons, the inconsistency from Cousins and lack of production from the running backs is certainly enough to derail them against the Giants.
Though they aren't world-beaters, the Giants have proven that they can hang around great teams and could easily be much better than their 5-5 record. Expect the Giants to force Cousins into mistakes and for Manning to dominate on Sunday.
Prediction: Giants 29, Redskins 16
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