Redskins @ Giants: Week 1 Preview

For the second straight year, the Redskins open their season in New Jersey against the division rival Giants, hoping to avenge a 16-7 loss in the Meadowlands last season.



With the new Giants Stadium opening in 2010, this will be the last time the Redskins and Giants will face off in the old Giants stadium. It has hosted a number of epic games between the two rivals, and has been a place where the Redskins have struggled to win, especially recently.



Since 2002, the Redskins have only won twice in the Meadowlands against the Giants. (Once against the Jets)



In their final game against the rival Cowboys in Texas stadium last season, the Redskins spoiled the party with a 26-24 victory.



Will the Redskins play spoiler again, leave their final footprints in the turf of Giants Stadium and walk off with a win this Sunday?



Going on recent results, it is hard to make a case for the Redskins.



The Giants defense dominated the Redskins offense last season, giving up only seven points in each contest. They have been able to successfully shut down the backbone of the Redskins offense, Clinton Portis, and forced Jason Campbell to try and beat them through the air.



Campbell was unable to do so, under the pressure of a vicious Giants pass rush led by Justin Tuck. And this season, the Giants welcome star defensive end Osi Umenyiora back from a season-ending injury that kept him out for the entire 2008 season.



Given the success of the Giants defense shutting down the Redskins offense by dominating the line of scrimmage and stopping the running game cold, the Skins should expect to see plenty of eight-in-the box sets on Sunday. Once again, Campbell will be forced to prove that he can beat the Giants through the air and keep the Giants honest on defense.



Malcom Kelly, who was named the starting receiver opposite Santana Moss this week, will be a player to watch this weekend. With the high likelyhood that the Redskins will be facing a lot of eight-in-the-box sets, he will have plenty of one-on-one opportunities and should be able to take advantage of the size mismatch he creates. At 6'4, 225, he should be a tough cover for Terrell Thomas, who will likely start in the place of the injured Aaron Ross.




Defensively, the Redskins are facing a Giants offense the has lost its two leading recievers over the last few seasons, Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer.



The Redskins have struggled over the last few seasons with the balanced attack that the Giants bring offensively. In their home matchup against the Giants last season, the Redskins made it clear that they were committed to stopping the Giants ground game, bringing eight and nine players into the box on a regular basis.



However, unlike Jason Campbell, Eli Manning was able to take control of the game through the air and punish the Redskins for committing so heavily to the run.


Against a young and relatively unproven Giants receiving corps, the Redskins defense will likely commit heavily to the line of scrimmage again, and force Eli Manning to beat them.


Prediction:

I don't like the Redskins on the road here. This game will be a defensive battle, and if the Redskins bend-but-don't-break defensive philosophy translates into this season, they will lend the Giants a few extras scores in the kicking game.

Final score: 20-13 Giants