Redskins Try to Stop Giants' Steamroller

Football Betting Lines

11/28/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Giants are on very solid ground in regard to their quest for a fourth consecutive playoff appearance, but the Washington Redskins' chances of a second straight postseason trip are more unsettled. That could change, however, if the Burgundy and Gold are able to come up with a victory over the defending world champions in this Sunday's showdown at FedEx Field.

Jim Zorn's debut season in Washington has gone well so far, as the Redskins have posted a strong 7-4 record under the guidance of the first-year head coach entering Sunday's important divisional clash. That mark still hasn't guaranteed them any measure of security in the NFC playoff race, where Washington headed into this week's play sitting in a three-way tie with rival Dallas and surprising Atlanta for the conference's final Wild Card berth.

The Redskins can greatly enhance their postseason prospects by knocking off the mighty Giants, a team which handed Zorn's bunch a 16-7 defeat at the Meadowlands in the season opener. That win set the tone for what has been a marvelous 2008 campaign for New York, which started the week with a decisive three-game advantage over Washington and Dallas atop the NFC East standings.

At 10-1, the Giants also hold a comfortable edge in the battle for home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs. New York is two games in front of NFC South co- leaders Carolina and Tampa Bay at the moment, and owns a perfect 7-0 mark against conference opponents this year.

The G-Men have compiled their best record after 11 contests since an identical start to the 1990 season, and are riding a six-game win streak that was extended with a well-executed 37-29 road triumph over NFC West front-runner Arizona last Sunday. New York has scored 30 or more points in each of its last four games, and leads the NFL with an average of 29.9 points per week.

While the Giants have had few problems lighting up the scoreboard, that has been an issue for the Redskins in recent weeks. Washington has totaled more than 17 points in only two of its last six tilts and had mustered a mere 16 in back-to-back home defeats to Pittsburgh and Dallas prior to last week's 20-17 edging of Seattle at Qwest Field.

The Redskins' sputtering offense did show signs of life in this past Sunday's win, producing 387 total yards and 24 first downs at the expense of the hapless Seahawks. A good chunk of that amount came from the legs of Clinton Portis, with the star running back churning out 143 yards on 29 carries on the afternoon.

Washington has now won four straight on the road following its Week 1 loss to the Giants, but the club hasn't enjoyed the same success on its home grounds. The 'Skins have dropped three of their last four matchups at FedEx Field and averaged a paltry 11.8 points over that rough patch.

New York, on the other hand, has emerged victorious in 14 of its 15 most recent away games dating back to last season.

SERIES HISTORY

The Giants have a 86-61-4 advantage in the all-time regular season series with Washington, including the aforementioned 16-7 home victory when the teams met to kick off the 2008 NFL season in Week 1 at the Meadowlands. The teams engaged in an unconventional split of last year's home-and-home, with New York taking a 24-17 come-from-behind win at FedEx Field in Week 3, and being dealt a 22-10 setback when the clubs met at Giants Stadium in Week 15. The last home win for the Redskins in the series came in 2005.

The teams have also split two postseason matchups, with the Giants' 17-0 victory in the 1986 NFC Championship countering a 28-0 Washington win in a 1943 NFC Division Playoff.

New York's Tom Coughlin is 7-5 against the Redskins all-time, including 1-2 while with the Jacksonville Jaguars (1995-2002). Zorn is 0-1 against both Coughlin and the Giants as a head coach.

WHEN THE GIANTS HAVE THE BALL

The Giants will bring the NFL's top rushing offense (164.9 ypg) into FedEx Field this weekend and had piled up three straight games of over 200 yards on the ground before being held to 87 by Arizona last Sunday. New York was without top back Brandon Jacobs (879 rushing yards, 11 TD, 5 receptions) for that test due to a sore knee, but the powerful fourth-year pro is expected to be good to go this week. The Redskins probably wouldn't mind if the 264-pound bruiser sits out another game, since Jacobs steamrolled his way to 116 yards on 24 carries in the Week 1 encounter between the teams. Derrick Ward (600 rushing yards, 2 TD, 31 receptions) did a credible job as the primary ball- carrier against the Cardinals with Jacobs out, rushing for 69 yards and a score on 20 attempts and adding another 30 yards on four catches.

With Arizona keeping New York's formidable ground game under wraps last week, a heavier load was placed on quarterback Eli Manning (2319 passing yards, 18 TD, 7 INT), and Peyton's little bro responded with one of his best outings of the season. The former No. 1 overall pick completed 26-of-33 throws for 240 yards in the victory, his highest yardage total since a Week 5 blowout of Seattle, and tossed three touchdown passes without an interception. Manning was able to succeed without playmaker Plaxico Burress (35 receptions, 4 TD) for most of the game, as the mercurial wide receiver left after the first series after aggravating a tender hamstring. His status for Sunday's clash is unclear, meaning dangerous return man Domenik Hixon (21 receptions, 1 TD), who played a key role in the Arizona win with two huge kickoff runbacks, could start opposite steady veteran Amani Toomer (34 receptions, 3 TD). Tight end Kevin Boss (23 receptions, 5 TD) is turning into Manning's preferred red-zone target, with the second-year pro having snared a touchdown catch in four of the last five games.

Washington's tough defense has allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards in the league (182.7 ypg) despite having generated little pressure on enemy quarterbacks for much of this season. The secondary received a nice boost from last week's return of cornerback Shawn Springs (19 tackles, 1 INT), who sealed the win over Seattle with an interception during the closing minutes in his first game action since mid-October. The 12th-year vet, who was coming back from a torn calf muscle, teams with fellow corner Carlos Rogers (44 tackles, 1 INT, 18 PD) and athletic free safety LaRon Landry (47 tackles, 1 INT, 8 PD) to provide a quality backfield that helped limit the Seahawks to an anemic 89 net passing yards this past Sunday. Manning has only been sacked three times over the last three games and should have ample time to survey the field this week, especially if pass-rushing end Andre Carter (26 tackles, 2 sacks) is slowed by a slight plantar fascia tear in his right foot he incurred against Seattle.

The Redskins have also held their own versus the run this year, having yielded just 89.3 yards per game on the ground (7th overall). The defense did surrender 154 rushing yards to New York in the season opener, however, and Seattle gashed the unit for 139 yards on just 20 carries in Week 12 to nearly engineer an upset. Provided he isn't bothered too much by a bruised left foot that isn't expected to jeopardize a streak of 171 consecutive games played, standout middle linebacker London Fletcher (86 tackles) figures to have another busy Sunday. Washington's leading tackler racked up a season-best 17 stops (12 solo) in the earlier meeting with the Giants and headlines a three- man corps that will be without oft-injured strongside starter Marcus Washington (37 tackles) for a second straight week because of a high ankle sprain. The team used Jason Taylor (15 tackles, 1 sack), normally an end, at that spot quite a bit in the Seattle game in an attempt to ignite an inconsistent pass rush and get the six-time Pro Bowl honoree untracked in what's been a disappointing first season as a Redskin.

WHEN THE REDSKINS HAVE THE BALL

Portis (1206 rushing yards, 7 TD, 22 receptions) has remained remarkably productive even though the warrior running back has had to endure an extensive list of nagging injuries. He hasn't missed a game, however, and delivered his sixth 100-yard day of the season to key last week's triumph. The NFL's current leading rusher is the unquestioned centerpiece of an offense that ranks third overall in yards gained via the ground (143.7 ypg) and appears in line for another heavy workload come Sunday. The Redskins finished with 187 rushing yards against the Seahawks and controlled the ball for nearly 38 1/2 minutes.

The Giants did a good job of containing Portis in the opener, limiting the Redskins' focal point to 84 yards on 23 carries. Stout performances such as that one have been typical for a defense that is giving up a scant 84.8 rushing yards per game (6th overall) and rendered the Cardinals one- dimensional a week ago, with Arizona mustering a paltry 23 yards on the ground. Portis will be trying to become the first opposing back to eclipse the century mark on New York this season and will face a sturdy front seven anchored by middle linebacker and leading tackler Antonio Pierce (60 tackles, 1 sack). The vocal team leader is part of a rugged interior core that also includes two of gap-plugging tackles in Fred Robbins (24 tackles, 5.5 sacks) and Barry Cofield (30 tackles, 2 sacks).

Washington's 21st-rated passing attack (197.1 ypg) doesn't usually strike fear into its opponents, but quarterback Jason Campbell (2328 passing yards, 10 TD, 3 INT) has generally done an efficient job of directing Zorn's West Coast scheme. The young signal-caller rebounded from a pair of subpar showings in the Pittsburgh and Dallas losses to put up 206 yards and a touchdown against Seattle, and he's an effective scrambler as well. Fleet-footed wideout Santana Moss (53 receptions, 773 yards, 5 TD) is the offense's main deep threat, while trusty tight end Chris Cooley (60 receptions, 1 TD) leads the team in catches and has garnered at least five grabs in each of the last four contests. Wide receiver Antwaan Randle El (39 receptions, 2 TD) had a good game against the Giants in Week 1, hauling in a season-best seven Campbell passes for 73 yards.

Campbell's mobility will likely come in handy on Sunday, as the Giants are noted as one of the league's better clubs at pressuring the passer. End Justin Tuck (43 tackles, 1 INT) leads New York's disruptive defense with 9 1/2 sacks and is on track for a first career Pro Bowl nod, while Mathias Kiwanuka (31 tackles, 7 sacks) has been consistently making quarterbacks uncomfortable on the opposite side as well. The duo's pass-rushing prowess has enabled the G- Men to allow a very respectable 190.5 passing yards per game (8th overall), as has an opportunistic secondary headed up by cornerbacks Corey Webster (33 tackles, 3 INT, 16 PD) and Aaron Ross (46 tackles, 2 INT, 7 PD). New York did give up 348 net yards through the air to the pass-happy Cardinals last week, although Arizona's Kurt Warner managed just one touchdown throw for the game. Campbell was only sacked once during the teams' September matchup, but he's been taken down 12 times over the past three tilts.

FANTASY FOCUS

The running backs will be featured prominently in the latest edition of this longtime rivalry, and Portis and Jacobs have been two of the best at the position this season. As long as either player is active on Sunday, they should be in all lineups. Keep an eye on the injury report in regards to Jacobs, but the odds are he'll be raring to go for an important divisional game after a week of rest. We're leaning on the side of sitting Burress due to his injury problems, however, which isn't welcome news to owners hoping for a duplication of the New York receiver's 10-catch, 133-yard showing against the Redskins in the opener. Hixon could make a nice sleeper this week, particularly in leagues that reward return yardage, while Moss is a solid play at wide receiver on the Washington side. Tight ends Cooley and Boss are also worthy of looks, but both Manning and Campbell have more limited upside as leaders of run-based offenses. Hold off on either quarterback unless you don't have a better alternative. Among the two defenses, the Giants are the better choice for fantasy purposes.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

The Giants continue to fire on all cylinders week-in and week-out, and it's highly questionable as to whether a Washington team that's having a whale of a time putting up points lately and is really banged up at a number of key spots will be able to slow the machine down. Playing at FedEx Field may not offer the Redskins much of an edge either, considering New York has already left such tough venues as Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Arizona with victories over the course of the last month and Zorn's troops have actually been a tougher out on the road this season. The Giants handled the Redskins rather easily in their first meeting, and with a defense fully capable of holding Portis in check and a running game that's consistently dominated all comers, a season sweep is well within Big Blue's reach.

Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Giants 24, Redskins 13

Pacific-10 Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Stanford

Oregon and USC get their tickets punched after taking care of business this weekend. Yes, the Trojans' computer numbers aren't great, but there's no way the third-place team in this league is getting nixed. Grudgingly, I added Arizona after consultation with our Bracketologist. I don't know that Arizona will lose its last three (including a Pac-10 quarterfinal game), and even if the Cats do, I still can't see how they'd be left out, given the overall profile. That said, it bears watching, as three more L's would leave them at 18-12 (9-9) and on a 6-11 skid entering the Dance. It would be nice to see the Wildcats get at least one W in the Bay Area next week, as Cincinnati (albeit without Armein Kirkland and with a worse profile) was axed after a similar slide last season. I just couldn't rationalize having some of the other teams as locks and not having Arizona in that category -- there just aren't enough good teams behind the Cats to threaten their spot, it seems. Stanford has its fate in its own hands with the Arizona schools coming to the Farm to close out the regular season next weekend.

Should be in:

Stanford [17-10 (9-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 21] No shame in not getting a win in L.A., but that makes the home game against Arizona State a must-win ahead of what could be an intriguing meeting with Arizona should the Cats lose at Cal. Getting to 11 Pac-10 wins would make Selection Sunday much more comfortable, but 10's probably more than enough this season. The Cardinal have nonconference wins over Texas Tech and at Virginia to lean on, although they also lost badly to Air Force and Santa Clara at home.

Southeastern Conference odds

Work left to do: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State It looks more and more possible that no one from the SEC West will make the NCAAs. How weird is that? Tennessee and Vandy move into the locks category after more good work this weekend. Kentucky stays there, although it would be smart for the Cats to handle Georgia at home Wednesday ahead of a trip to the Swamp. Could a disaster scenario (two more L's and a first-round SEC tourney exit) somehow dislodge the Cats despite their incredible computer numbers? Still unlikely, but not worth chancing it. Work left to do: Alabama [19-9 (6-8), RPI: 43, SOS: 47] The tough L at Tennessee was understandable, and even created some hope. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed by a home loss to Auburn, which leaves the Tide in some real trouble. There's still no signature win on the profile (no, Kentucky doesn't count), and the computer profile is weakening rapidly. The Tide conceivably could beat Ole Miss and win at Miss. State to get to 8-8 and clinch at least a share of the West crown, but that's probably not enough right now. The Tide will need to do some work in the SEC tourney. Georgia [16-10 (8-6), RPI: 52, SOS: 23] This is the team with the best chance to make it from this section right now. The Bulldogs rebounded from a terrible performance at Ole Miss to beat down Miss. State. Now they are at Kentucky (king of the RPI 51-100 win) and home to Tennessee. That would be worth a lot of computer points to get both (which is doable), as both teams are in the top 11 in RPI. Finishing at least 9-7 is an absolute must, and I would feel much better about the Dawgs' chances if they got both to get to 10 SEC wins. They also beat Gonzaga, but lost to ACC bubblers Georgia Tech and Clemson. Mississippi [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 63, SOS: 79] Like everyone else in this division, Ole Miss gacked up a chance to stake a claim, losing by double figures at South Carolina. Even 9-7 likely is not nearly enough with a nonconference profile devoid of anything notable. Mississippi State [16-11 (7-7), RPI: 66, SOS: 37] With a chance to get in the mix, these Bulldogs were leashed by their Georgia counterparts. Could they get to 9-7? I guess -- although winning at Arkansas, then beating Alabama is no lock -- but would that mean all that much for a team with this overall profile? Probably not. There's nothing of note (on the good side) in the nonconference profile.

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