Giants vs Skins Pregame Thread

[Chico23231]

Redskins LG Shawn Lauvao (knee) is doubtful for Thursday's game against the Giants.

Lauvao has been dealing with right-knee issues for each of the past two weeks. Josh LeRibeus will fill in against the Giants if Lauvao can't go.

per rotoworld

Grimace making his first start, can he turn his career around?

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Actually thought he played well when he came in last game. Biggest thing is we cannot let Eli go off. For some reason I feel like he just absolutely owns us.

[over the mountain]

Originally Posted by KI Skins Fan

We've played well against the run and our secondary is depleted, so why would they feature more running plays against us? Although it doesn't seem likely to me, I hope they do run a lot so we can stuff them.

thats a good point, a scary point but good point. i see our D being vulnerable tomorrow. hopefully hatcher plays, he could be a world of difference.

37-34 giants

unless cousins and the offense is lights out, i just dont see our D holding up their end of the bargain.

even though it is a short week, film is being generated on cousins and gruden's scheme and the giants corners are pretty good.

[over the mountain]

wasnt it the giants game last year when the refs signaled 1st down on a last min drive for us but then after the next play (incomplete pass), change it back to 4th down?

still cant believe that happened and the head ref said he noticed it but didnt want to correct it bc it would be like a time out for the skins .. who the eff was that ref? eff him was that triplett?

[CRedskinsRule]

I said 28-21 earlier, but this is another game I think we come out and play like the Jax game. Giants have been diminishing the past years, and I would not be surprised if we make up for the Monday night debacle that sealed my son as a Giants fan

At least I hope we do.

44-10 NO special teams gaffes.

Thats my bold koolaid laden prediction.

[Chico23231]

Got a feeling Fed Ex and Skins is gonna be in a no flex zone.

Skins 48 Giantones 3

*Eli out for the rest of the year which could only be described medically as "pussy hurt"

[EARTHQUAKE2689]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

I said 28-21 earlier, but this is another game I think we come out and play like the Jax game. Giants have been diminishing the past years, and I would not be surprised if we make up for the Monday night debacle that sealed my son as a Giants fan

At least I hope we do.

44-10 NO special teams gaffes.

Thats my bold koolaid laden prediction.

And people said I was crazy for my 31-14 prediction.

[jamf]

I haven't been this nervous for a game in a while.
If we win, we have a chance of having a respectable season and making progress as a team to build on.
If we lose, we will have a season over analyzing every aspect of the team and why such a talented roster just can't win.

It seems like the Redskins play to not make mistakes while the good teams play to make big plays.

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by Chico23231

Got a feeling Fed Ex and Skins is gonna be in a no flex zone.

Skins 48 Giantones 3

*Eli out for the rest of the year which could only be described medically as "pussy hurt"

Man. And I thought that I was drinking koolaid.

[WillH]

Here is my prediction/prayer to the football gods:

Cousins' stellar performance continues, and he frustrates the Giants, who just can't get to him in time.

The Giants are forced to abandon their game plan of repeating last weeks success on the ground, Jennings hits a wall early, and the redskins early lead forces Manning to try to win it through the air.

Giants start to come back early, but the Redskins refuse a repeat of the Eagles game. Hatcher get's to Manning forcing a fumble or tipping the ball up, Kerrigan grabs the loose ball. D scores a TD to widen the gap.

Morris finishes out strong, breaks 100 yards rushing.

Redskins: 34
Giants: 20

HTTR, Amen

[over the mountain]

EAST RUTHERFORD -- This week's look at the defense examines some of the good and bad that has been put on the field by the Giants early this season.

After three weeks, the numbers aren't that impressive. The Giants are ranked 22nd in total defense, 22nd in pass defense and 14th against the run.

Some of the problems (including big plays) are addressed in this week's observations. Some of the strengths (cornerbacks), too.

It's a long season though, and we haven't even reached the quarter pole. The numbers should even out and, when all is said and done, it wouldn't at all be surprising to see the Giants with a Top 10 defense for the second straight year.

Some of the main reasons are discussed in the first and second of this week's observations.

1. Man Up
The last time Redskins coach Jay Gruden went against the Giants was 2012 when he was offensive coordinator in Cincinnati. His Bengals offense torched the Big Blue defense that day in a 31-13 victory where second-year quarterback Andy Dalton threw four touchdown passes and no interceptions.

A lot has changed for the Giants since, including a good chunk of the names. Most notable for Gruden is the approach defensive coordinator Perry Fewell is taking with his secondary. In Gruden's eyes, they are playing a lot more man coverage than they did in the past.

"I think so," Gruden said Tuesday morning during a conference call with Giants reporters. "That is just my impression of just watching them for the last 23 hours. I would say my impression coming in playing the Giants from playing them a couple years ago and studying them now, I think it is totally different."

It's an interesting comment considering Fewell and the Giants were criticized after the opener for playing too much zone. It could have been that Detroit just exploited the zone in the handful of opportunities they had. Or maybe a lot more man coverage is all relative.

Fewell insists the Giants still play plenty of zone coverage, although he wasn't very willing to put an accurate number on it.

'"I won't comment on that. We are doing a little bit of both. I think it is 50/50. I'll give you a 50/50 answer on that one," he said with a smile and laugh. "I won't answer that for an exact number because I will be helping [Gruden] out. I think we have man-cover guys and we try to take advantage of that. We also can play zones because it gives you vision. We like to do a little bit of both."

The reason Fewell gave for still playing a good chunk of zone was that if they went exclusively to man-coverage, it would make life too easy for opposing coaches. They would be able to call pick plays and rubs to free up receivers on a regular basis if the Giants still didn't mix it up like they are currently doing.

2. Dominant Corners
The reason the Giants have gone to more man coverage is the strength of their cornerbacks. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara have both played well, aside from Rodgers-Cromartie excusable struggles with Detroit's Calvin Johnson in the opener.

Their play changes the game, and makes life especially difficult for opposing coaches.

"Their corners are so good they can play a lot of man and bring safeties down in the box and get an extra guy down there," Gruden said. "If you want to throw the ball, they have two very good corners that are playing extremely well."

How well? Pro Football Focus has Rodgers-Cromartie ranked as their fourth-best cornerback through four games and Amukamara 17th. Atlanta, Denver and San Diego are the only other teams with a pair of cornerbacks among the Top 20.

Giants: Weekly defensive observations include Jay Gruden noticing more man instead of zone coverage | NJ.com

above is a solid write up from the Giants perspective. I only posted half the article bc i didnt want to take up a whole page but i recommend the read.

Apparently they give up big passing plays and are pulling starting FS Brown but havent said who they are replacing him with.

[calia]

If they're playing man, let them try to cover Garcon and DJax one-on-one. They will get open, and if not, Roberts can torch them. I think our receivers (and I'd have to include Paul here too now) have become a real strength, and you cannot assumg that man coverage will work with them.

But I imagine that Fewell will realize this. I expect a lot of zone with man on occasion. Especially if they think that Gruden is expecting man coverage.

[rbanerjee23]

We're going to give up 28 minimum. H/e offense does just enough.

31-28 skins

[over the mountain]

EAST RUTHERFORD -- When free safety Stevie Brown allowed Texans speedster Damaris Johnson to slip behind him in Sunday's Giants victory, he also may have lost his grip on the starting job. It was the final defensive snap Brown saw in the contest, and may be the last time he's viewed as the starter at that position this year.

Quintin Demps appears set to start for the Giants opposite Antrel Rolle on Thursday night in Washington after taking snaps with the first team during practice. Rookie Nat Berhe finished the game against Houston at free safety and is the Giants' other option, even if coach Tom Coughlin said Brown remains in the safety mix.

..........

The veteran is stepping into a difficult spot. He'll have to keep a close eye on speedy Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson. It's a player Demps knows well. Jackson was his road roommate during his first two years in the league with Philadelphia.

"It's obvious. You have to keep the deep ball off you," Demps said. "Everybody in the league knows DeSean is going deep. Everybody knows that."

For that reason, Demps might be playing in Virginia when the ball is snapped from Maryland. His No. 1 job on Thursday night will be making sure none of the Redskins receivers -- particularly Jackson -- get behind him.

"Absolutely. Keep everything in front of you," Demps said. "Deep is the deepest. ... You have to play a little bit deeper with that dude. Four [steps back]. Four. It's DeSean Jackson now. All he does is run. Fast."

Even though Jackson is banged up, the Giants have made sure to plan for him on Thursday night.

"We make a special adjustment [for Jackson]," Fewell said. "You can announce that one. We'll keep our safeties a little bit deeper for that guy."

One of those safeties is expected to be Demps.


Giants: Quintin Demps appears set to start at free safety | NJ.com

[SkinsGuru]

the redskins beat the jags 41 - 10 which is a 31 point victory . . . ny beat the jags 34 -17 (without arian foster) for a 17 point victory . . . so the Skins win by at least 14 . . . my prediction:

Skins 34
Gints 19

lol . . . its all about the math