Week 12: Giants @ Redskins

“We have a six-game stretch here where we have everything we want to accomplish still available to us”, head coach Jay Gruden said. According to Football Outsiders, the Redskins are 31st in the NFL in DVOA allowed against No. 2 wideouts, surrendering a grand total of 64.2 receiving yards per game against these types of wideouts. A loss to the Giants and the Redskins would need to win all five games and have a 9-7 record to have a realistic chance to take the NFC East.

A lot of the matchups have come down to a single play or even a single point (Week 13 of the 2012 season), but in 1999, the Redskins blew out the Giants in Week 2 by a final of 50-21. “You have to be persistent”, Coughlin said.

“It’s fun. It feels good to be in these circumstances and feel like you’re playing for opportunities to make the playoffs and win your division”, Manning said. They need to continue to try to find some sort of running game; it’s a broken record, but they must try to do so to help take pressure off of Eli Manning. The Redskins’ four-game win home streak is their longest in three years, with a 47-14 victory over New Orleans in their last game at FedEx Field on November 15. They will play out the string and it seems fairly obvious that Kelly will be back in college football next year.

“Well, obviously the division race is the way it was when we left”, coach Tom Coughlin said in referencing that the Giants were in first place before the bye and stayed there, only with a lead that was a half-game larger. “I think the rhythm with which he goes about his business, particularly in the play-action pass game, is outstanding”.

That praise is well earned.

On paper, Washington has a quarterback who’s prone to interceptions in Kirk Cousins, a run “D” that surrenders a whopping 4.8 yards per carry and a 4-6 record.

If Washington’s offensive line can hold, giving Cousins even a few seconds to glance down the field, the Redskins could notch another home-field victory. They’d also own a win over both teams. We’ve got to make sure we’re prepared. They had just nine through the first nine games. The only question is whether they’ll be able to handle the glare of the spotlight on a game to which everyone will be paying close attention.

“We know what kind of a team we have here”, Pierre-Paul said. “I think that just brings another type of energy to see what it tastes like so I think everyone’s up for the challenge”. Eli Manning passed for 279 yards and two touchdowns, Reuben Randle the main recipient with seven catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Heading into this Week 12, the Giants have won the last five games against the Redskins. This past Sunday’s game against the undefeated Carolina Panthers was seen a test of the Redskins readiness to compete for the division title.