ASHBURN, Va. -- Three things I learned watching the New York Giants, talking to players and coaches and doing a little reading:
The Giants have injury issues. There’s a chance that 40 percent of their offensive line won’t play Sunday as guard Justin Pugh (concussion) and center Weston Richburg (ankle) have issues. Richburg, at least, has been limited in practice this week. And tight end Larry Donnell might be out for the season with a neck injury. Of course, the Redskins have their own problems with injuries, but these are key ones for New York. Redskins nose tackle Terrance Knighton did a pretty good job versus Richburg in the first game so if his backup must play (Dallas Reynolds), then the Redskins are in much better position. The Giants have been without receiver Victor Cruz all season; without him No. 2 target Rueben Randle has caught 39 passes. They’ve also used running back Shane Vereen a lot in the pass game (36 catches). Donnell had caught 29 and burned the Redskins in two of the past three meetings. Also, the defensive line took a hit when it lost Jonathan Hankins for the season. So it’s not just Washington dealing with tough injuries. The difference is, New York has received solid quarterback play throughout the season and has a big-time playmaker in Odell Beckham Jr.
The defense isn’t very good. In the first game versus the Giants, the Redskins left a lot of yards and plays on the field. Some of it was bad cuts by the running backs (leading to 3-yard gains instead of 10) but a lot of was due to the passing game and quarterback Kirk Cousins. He missed open targets (Jordan Reed) and on other plays threw behind receivers, so even if they caught the ball they did not get many yards after the catch. Those yards add up. The Redskins only ran the ball 20 times in that game; the score dictated they pass more. But they ran the ball well with 88 yards, consistently getting positive gains. They had a season-low one carry that lost yardage, so file that away for Sunday. Not a whole lot has changed with the Giants, though they will be helped by the return of corner Prince Amukamara. Their line includes some talented players, including Cullen Jenkins (but they lost a solid player in Hankins). Jenkins plays with power and does well holding up double-teams. Jason Pierre-Paul has returned, but does not look like his old self. He’s still getting used to playing with a club on his damaged right hand and it seems to affect his quickness -- almost as if he’s thinking about how to win with his hand rather than showing the burst he once had. But I would not discount him. … The Giants are 31st in yards per game and 24th in points per game. And they’re horrible on third downs: allowing an NFL-worst 47.8 percent to be converted). They’re 14th in the NFL in red zone defense. You can beat the Giants deep (23rd in NFL having allowed 15 receptions for 30-plus yards). New York will be aggressive defensively, with zone blitzes and sending linebackers through the middle. The Giants have struggled versus tight ends -- safety Craig Dahl, picked up after the season began, can be beaten. And if the Redskins can get him locked versus Jamison Crowder in the slot on occasion with the right look, then he can go to work.
The offense remains dangerous. Despite not having Cruz all season, the Giants remain a threat in large part because of two people: quarterback Eli Manning and Beckham. They’re a big reason why New York ranks fourth in points scored per game. Manning has thrown 21 touchdowns and only six interceptions while Beckham has caught 63 passes for 863 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s an incredible talent who will be moved all over. The Giants do a good job putting him in situations where it’s tough to jam him -- in the slot or as the inside receiver in a three-receiver alignment. So it’s not as simple as saying, "be physical." The Redskins played up on him in the first game a decent amount -- when aligned at the numbers. But Manning is excellent at picking out mismatches or playing off situations where the defense is focusing too much on Beckham. The run game has not been a strength at all; even the Redskins stopped them (holding them to 2.71 yards per carry in the first meeting). The tackles are inconsistent: rookie left tackle Ereck Flowers will occasionally lunge or overextend in protection; right tackle Marshall Newhouse can be driven back. But the Giants’ quick passing game has given the Redskins fits the past three games.
