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Redskins at Giants: Preview and prediction

By Shaina Auxilly

Dec 14, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Washington Redskins during the fourth quarter of a game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Washington Redskins during the fourth quarter of a game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New York Giants will try to avoid falling to 0-3 during their NFC East showdown against the Washington Redskins on Thursday night. Many experts predict the Giants will win as they hope to bounce back from the heartbreaking 24-20 loss they suffered to the Atlanta Falcons this past Sunday.  It was the second week in a row they blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter after a 27-26 loss to the Dallas Cowboys during the season-opener.

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Poor execution during down the stretch has lead to the Giants demise. In the opener, Eli Manning lost track of how many timeouts the Cowboys had and told running back Rashad Jennings not to score on two consecutive plays late in the game. Against the Falcons, Manning was sacked which led to a fumble in the third quarter and took a costly delay of game penalty late in the fourth quarter. New York will once again be without Victor Cruz and will rely heavily on Odell Beckham Jr. The young superstar receiver became the first player ever to reach 1,495 receiving yards in his first 14 games last week, showcasing the type of rare ability his enjoys. On the opposite side is Rueben Randle, a capable talent who will challenge Washington on intermediate routes.

The Redskins bounced back from their 17-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 1 to capture a 24-10 win over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.  Kirk Cousins was 23-of-27 for a career-best 85.2 completion percentage as a starter last week.  Robert Griffin III remains day-to-day after suffering a concussion. Even if he is completely healthy, it remains a mystery if he would make the active roster on game days or be on the inactive list. Washington’s run-heavy attack will again rely on Alfred Morris who rushed for 121 yards in the season-opener and rookie sensation Matt Jones who rushed for 124 yards during their week 2 win.

Though the Redskins lead the league in rushing yards, they will face stiff competition against the Giants, with a defense third-ranked against the run game. New York has won four straight games against the Redskins and will be focused tonight trying to avoid the costly mistakes of the past two games. Starting the campaign at 0-3 and going to play the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium next week would likely spell doom.

Prediction: Giants 24, Redskins 20

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