To start with, I plan on posting twice weekly until I really get in the hang of it: Fridays, as mentioned, with the game preview, then the day after the game with the review, analysis and commentary.
With that, here we go!
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WASHINGTON REDSKINS
(8-8 in 2008; 4-4 on the road; 2-4 in division; 265 PF, 296 PA)
OFFENSIVE LEADERS
J. Campbell: 315/506; 62.3%--3245 yds--13 tds--6 ints--38 Sacks--84.3 rtg
C. Portis: 342 carries for 1487 yds--4.3 per--9 tds
C. Cooley: 83 catches for 849 yds--10.2 per--1 tds
S. Moss: 79 catches for 1044 yds--13.2 per--6 tds
A. Randle El: 53 catches for 593 yds--11.2--4 tds
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
L. Fletcher: 96 solo--37 assist--0 sack--1 fumb rec
R. McIntosh: 60 solo--27 assist--2 sacks--2 fumb rec--1 int
C. Horton: 57 solo--19 assist--1 sack--0 fumb rec--3 int
L. Landry: 49 solo--16 assist--0 sack--2 fumb rec--2 int
A. Haynesworth (TEN): 41 solo--10 assist--10 sacks--3 fumb rec
KICKING LEADERS
KICK: S. Suisham: 25/25 PAT; 26/36 FG; long of 50; 9 touchbacks
PUNT: H. Smith (IND): 53 for 2343; 44.2 ave; 23 inside 20; 2 touchbacks; 11 fair catch
RETURN LEADERS
KICK: R. Cartwright: 51 for 1307; 25.6 ave; 0 td
PUNT: A. Randle El: 39 for 254; 6.5 ave; 0 td
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NEW YORK GIANTS
(12-4 in 2008; 7-1 at home; 4-2 in division; 427 PF, 294 PA)
NYG OFFENSIVE LEADERS
E. Manning: 289/479; 60.3%--3238 yds--21 tds--10 ints--27 sacks--86.4 rtg
Jacobs: 219 carries for 1089--5.0 per--15 tds
A. Bradshaw: 67 carries for 355--5.3 per--1 td
S. Smith: 57 catches for 574 yds--10.1 per--1 td
Hixon: 43 catches for 580 yds--13.9 per--2 tds
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
A. Pierce: 72 solo--23 assist--2 sacks--2 fumb rec--0 int
K. Phillips: 55 solo--12 assist--0 sacks--0 fumb rec--1 int
J. Tuck: 52 solo--15 assist--12 sacks--3 fumb rec--1 int
M. Kiwanuka: 34 solo--17 assist--8 sacks--2 fumb rec--0 int
O. Umeniyora: INJ
KICKING LEADERS
KICK: L. Tynes: 3/3 on PAT; 1/1 FG
PUNT: J. Feagles: 64 for 2814; 44.0 ave; 23 inside 20; 5 touchback; 13 fair catch
RETURN LEADERS
KICK: A. Bradshaw: 39 for 867; 22.2 ave; 0 td
PUNT: D. Hixon: 24 for 242; 10.1 ave; 0 td
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PREVIEW:
This matchup is the very definition of rivalry. Separated by just a couple hours by car, there's plenty of emotions on both sides of the ball. New York can't help but feel cheated out of a chance at the Super Bowl last season, and they enter 2009 as one of the favorites in the division once again.
The Giants do have some soft spots that the Redskins should try to take advantage of. Starting corners Kevin Dockery and Aaron Ross are injured, and the G-Men are expected to play Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas, an second-year man from USC, and Bruce Johnson, an undrafted free agent rookie out of Miami (FL) at the corner spots.
The defensive line for the Giants will look to provide plenty of pressure on the Redskins up front. Mathias Kiwanuka, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora, returning from injury, all really get after the passer and are adequate against the run as well.
At receiver, both Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer are gone, leaving Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith as primary targets for QB Eli Manning. Manning is solid, if not spectacular, but does have a propensity to leave a little too much air under the ball or force it in at times.
The Giants running game is as solid as they come. Brandon Jacobs is a horse--just ask Laron Landry after last season's opener. Ahmad Bradshaw is a quick change-of-pace back that will inherit many of the carries that went to Derrick Ward, who fairly split carries with Jacobs.
The Giants kicking game isn't much to write home about. Lawrence Tynes is a journeyman who did not play much last year, and punter Jeff Feagles is one of the oldest players in the league, but still serviceable.
Bradshaw and Hixon are both dangerous return men though, and can go all the way any time they touch the ball. But with both being asked to do more on offense this season, it may cut into their burst in the return game.
The Redskins game plan should be simple: attack the corners with quick hitters and soften them up the middle with heavy doses of Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts. The offensive line is still trying to gel, after a pre-season of inconsistency and sporadic scoring while the first team was on the field.
Keeping Jason Campbell upright is a key. If the embattled QB can control field position and take advantage of matchups with Santana Moss, Malcolm Kelly, Antwaan Randle El and especially Chris Cooley in the slots, the Skins should be able to stay in the game.
The defense should be a strength this season. They added Albert Haynesworth up front to clog up the middle and provide needed pressure from the middle of the line. He registered 10 sacks from the tackle position for Tennessee, despite constant double-teaming.
If the Skins can get to Manning two or three times, it'll make their day a lot easier. Manning tends to get "happy feet" when he feels the rush.
The other key addition is rookie Brain Orakpo, a stud OLB from Texas. He'll be active on the weak side, chasing down RBs and QBs alike. He joins London Fletcher and Rocky McIntosh at LB, and they will be busy all day Sunday shutting down Jacobs and Bradshaw.
In the backfield, Carlos Rogers is nursing a call injury, but is probable for the game. He'll join DeAngelo Hall and Fred Smoot covering the Giants inexperienced receivers. Landry and Chris Horton, the find of last season's draft, will provide plenty or necessary run support, as New York's tight ends are not much of a threat.
As for the kicking game, the Skins feel like they significantly upgraded their punter, signing Hunter "The Punter" Smith away from the Colts, but could not find anyone to unseat incumbent Shaun Suisham, one of the league's least-accurate kickers.
Rock Cartwright returns kicks once again; he'll do a solid job. But Randle El was disappointing returning punts last season--he seemed of fair catch punts 2-to-1 over returning, and when he did his average was near the bottom of the league. Neither men had a return TD last season.
WEATHER
The weather for Sunday couldn't be more perfect for an early September game. The 4:15 game time temperature should be in the mid-seventies and sunny, with just a trace chance of precipitation. The forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with scattered clouds, and as it gets dark, the temps should settle into the upper sixties.
PREDICTION
As most Skins-Giants games, I expect this one to be hard-hitting, tightly contested and concentrating on both teams' running games, with the passers being opportunistic. The Giants are traditionally very tough at home, and there's no reason to suspect a change in that for 2009.
If the Skins show and can get to Manning a couple times early, they could stick around and make things interesting in the fourth quarter. But I expect that Jacobs will eventually wear out the Skins and the Giants pull out a close one.
Let's say 20-16 Giants.
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