I am a Giants fan so I follow them a lot as well as the other teams in the NFC East.
I am thinking the play is NYG -3 at risk of sounding a homer.
The Giants traditionally start the year off strongly and then find a way to collapse.
First of all I'd like to address their OL. A lot of people think it's worsened because Beatty is now the LT and Seubert and O'hara are gone, but that is not true. The Giants backup C was much more effective than O'Hara last year as his play really went down last year. Haas should be an upgrade. Now, Diehl was the LT last year, but statistically he was the worst LT in ALL of football last year. He is known for being versatile on the OL, but make no mistake LG is his best position by far. Snee and Mckenzie are amongst the top of their position. So as a whole I believe they actually might have improved.
Eli threw 25 picks last year. That's a staggeringly high number. I don't like making excuses, but a good 10-12 balls were literally tipped by his own WR's. However, the point I have to make is that his WR's were constantly dinged up last year so he could never get in to a rhythm. Smith and Boss are gone, but Manningham has the capability to step up and be a 1000+yards WR and also they have Hixon and Cruz back. Don't forget they have a solid running game in Bradshaw and Jacobs as well. They were 5th in O I believe last year. They should still be able to put up points on this Redskins D.
Now on D they are completely banged up. (Goff, Prince, Osi, Thomas, Austin)
I don't think missing Osi this game is as big as it seems though. Jason Pierre Paul is really something special. Granted, it was just pre season but he was easily able to beat all pro LT Jordan Gross for 2 sacks in the one quarter he played. They also have Mathias Kiwinuka who will be able to move in at times to DE to keep him fresh.
I realize Tuck is questionable, but in all honesty I think he plays. He's the same guy who tore his shoulder labrum, but played through it the entire year a couple years ago.
Aaron Ross and Coe have looked good in the pre season. Skins WR has improved a little with the addition of Hankerson and Cooley coming back, but as a whole they're nothing that gives you nightmares.
I realize they've improved on the defensive side of the ball a lot by improving their pass rush with guys like Kerrigan and Cofield. I like Kerrigan a lot, but Cofield has never played NT before and I think it will take him time to adapt. Also, its not like they have injuries of their own. Laron Landry was hurt for most of the pre season I believe.
Finally, the Giants Special Teams sucked last year! We fans did not begin to despise Dodge after the Philly game. He was terrible all year. Weatherford is an upgrade there.
KR/PR is kind of a mess still, but they have a lot of guys who they like this year like Jernigan and Devin Thomas.
I believe the Giants are a team that thrives under adversity. I'm not saying they make the playoffs, but I think they are good value here.
I'd probably check on Tuck sunday morning before you lock this, but I like their chances. Good luck!
I am thinking the play is NYG -3 at risk of sounding a homer.
The Giants traditionally start the year off strongly and then find a way to collapse.
First of all I'd like to address their OL. A lot of people think it's worsened because Beatty is now the LT and Seubert and O'hara are gone, but that is not true. The Giants backup C was much more effective than O'Hara last year as his play really went down last year. Haas should be an upgrade. Now, Diehl was the LT last year, but statistically he was the worst LT in ALL of football last year. He is known for being versatile on the OL, but make no mistake LG is his best position by far. Snee and Mckenzie are amongst the top of their position. So as a whole I believe they actually might have improved.
Eli threw 25 picks last year. That's a staggeringly high number. I don't like making excuses, but a good 10-12 balls were literally tipped by his own WR's. However, the point I have to make is that his WR's were constantly dinged up last year so he could never get in to a rhythm. Smith and Boss are gone, but Manningham has the capability to step up and be a 1000+yards WR and also they have Hixon and Cruz back. Don't forget they have a solid running game in Bradshaw and Jacobs as well. They were 5th in O I believe last year. They should still be able to put up points on this Redskins D.
Now on D they are completely banged up. (Goff, Prince, Osi, Thomas, Austin)
I don't think missing Osi this game is as big as it seems though. Jason Pierre Paul is really something special. Granted, it was just pre season but he was easily able to beat all pro LT Jordan Gross for 2 sacks in the one quarter he played. They also have Mathias Kiwinuka who will be able to move in at times to DE to keep him fresh.
I realize Tuck is questionable, but in all honesty I think he plays. He's the same guy who tore his shoulder labrum, but played through it the entire year a couple years ago.
Aaron Ross and Coe have looked good in the pre season. Skins WR has improved a little with the addition of Hankerson and Cooley coming back, but as a whole they're nothing that gives you nightmares.
I realize they've improved on the defensive side of the ball a lot by improving their pass rush with guys like Kerrigan and Cofield. I like Kerrigan a lot, but Cofield has never played NT before and I think it will take him time to adapt. Also, its not like they have injuries of their own. Laron Landry was hurt for most of the pre season I believe.
Finally, the Giants Special Teams sucked last year! We fans did not begin to despise Dodge after the Philly game. He was terrible all year. Weatherford is an upgrade there.
KR/PR is kind of a mess still, but they have a lot of guys who they like this year like Jernigan and Devin Thomas.
I believe the Giants are a team that thrives under adversity. I'm not saying they make the playoffs, but I think they are good value here.
I'd probably check on Tuck sunday morning before you lock this, but I like their chances. Good luck!
If you look at what the Giants did in the offseason,they depleted Eli Manning’s arsenal of weapons, namely Smith at WR... and Boss at TE.....This is huge SBR members,The Giants lost an unreal number of players in the off-season, the bulk of them on the defensive side of the ball.Terrell Thomas, Marvin Austin, Brian Witherspoon, Jonathan Goff and Clint Sintim are all out for the season.Unavailable for this game,and possibly a few more weeks,are Osi Umenyiora and Prince Amukamara.Justin Tuck is currently listed as questionable for the game as well after suffering a burner against the Jets.have no illusions SRB members.If you look at the preseason injury report to the defense they lost 3 cornerbacks and 2 linebackers and have one of their studs out at De..... Wow!!!!.Washington’s running game with Hightower has vaulted to the next level, and I like them in this game to be a live dogs.Many have back pedaled on early predictions that Washington might win 5 games all year, I am one of the after seeing the preseason, and while they are not a playoff contender, they will compete in every game under Shanahan,I assure you SRB members, and being a home dog is huge motivation,Yet the Giants on name recognition and pre-conceived notions that the Skins are going stink up this year, have the Giants as a road favorite to open the season against a division rival.Rex Grossman took the Bears to the Super Bowl and gets the start over highly liked and touted John Beck, because he earned it.No matter what you think of him, the kid can make plays.the Skins will score and I feel there is no way that Washington in their current state, whether Cooley plays or not,are a 6 point pup here, given the fact the 3 point home advantage added to any power rating puts this at a pickem type game, yet they get 3 points. Also make a nice half of a 6 point tease getting them to +9 in that scenario.
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