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View Full Version : Thursday nighter game preview.Giants vs Redskins



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09-25-2014, 09:27 PM
Giants-Redskins Preview




Britt McHenry discusses the team's reaction to QB Kirk Cousins' ability to step up while Robert Griffin III is injured, and she breaks down DeAngelo Hall's injury.





Cousins On Offense



Losing teams usually like to use practice to improve their deficiencies.
That's not going to happen this week for the Washington Redskins and New York Giants.
These NFC East rivals have admitted they won't be able to get much work done ahead of Thursday night's matchup at FedEx Field.
Both teams are 1-2 and the loser will be in sole possession of last place in the division.
Washington came out of Sunday's 37-34 loss at Philadelphia as a very banged-up club with cornerback DeAngelo Hall (ruptured left Achilles) and safety Duke Ihenacho (broken left foot) lost for the season. Linebackers Brian Orakpo (left middle finger) and Jason Hatcher (hamstring) and guard Shawn Lauvao (right knee) are also hurting.
"We're losing guys left and right," Orakpo said. "Football's a tough game. Look, if you've got kids and can't stand injuries, don't let 'em play football."
The Redskins held a late-afternoon walkthrough Monday and listed 17 players -- nearly one-third of the roster -- on the injury report.
"Obviously this is a week that I would rather not have a Thursday night game," first-year coach Jay Gruden said.
New York seems to be healthier after earning its first victory, 30-17 over Houston on Sunday. That doesn't mean the Giants' preparation for Thursday will be ideal.
Coach Tom Coughlin said his only full practice is scheduled for Tuesday with little physical work.
"Really the field work is very minimal," Coughlin said. "We want them to see everything but we don't want a lot of exertion in terms of...I want them to move around enough to help the soreness, work the soreness out."
If there is an edge for New York, it is that Coughlin has been through this process before as a head coach. His club won at Carolina two seasons ago on Thursday night and lost at Chicago last year.
"We do have a set routine in our way in which we prepare for a Thursday night game," he said.
Rashad Jennings gained a career-high 176 yards rushing over the weekend for the most by a Giant since Ahmad Bradshaw had 200 in a win over Cleveland two years ago.
"Keep running and keep pounding," quarterback Eli Manning said. "One point we ran the same play three times in a row. They were rolling. They liked it."
Manning had his most efficient performance of the season, completing 21 of 28 passes for 234 yards with two scores and not throwing an interception for the first time in eight games. Victor Cruz had five catches for 107 yards and ended a 12-game drought without a touchdown.
Jameel McClain had a team-high 11 tackles filling in at middle linebacker for Jon Beason, who was out with a foot injury. Beason's status is uncertain for Thursday.
The Giants also do not expect first-round pick Odell Beckham Jr. to make his debut. The wide receiver has a hamstring injury.
Gruden lumped most of Washington's injuries into the "day-to-day" category. There was optimism that Orakpo, Hatcher and Lauvao could play.
The Redskins haven't received word on any possible discipline for nose tackle Chris Baker, who blindsided Eagles quarterback Nick Foles on Sunday. No flag was thrown for the block, but Baker and Eagles left tackle Jason Peters were ejected after the ensuing melee.
Baker feels he did nothing wrong.
"I know what my intentions were, and my intention was to get a block," Baker said. "If I really wanted to hit him hard, I could've changed speed and really exploded into him."
Washington is second in the league with 444.0 yards per game after Kirk Cousins made his first start of the year in place of the injured Robert Griffin III and was 30 of 48 for a career-high 427 yards and three scores Sunday. The Redskins have dropped four straight starts by Cousins.
Pierre Garcon had 11 catches for 138 yards and his first touchdown.
Manning has 16 touchdowns and 17 interceptions against Washington -- a departure from his production against the Giants' other division foes. He has 38 TDs and 22 INTs against Dallas and 36 and 21, respectively, versus the Eagles.
He was only sacked once Sunday by a ferocious Houston defensive front that includes J.J. Watt, and it is not clear what kind of pressure he could be under Thursday. The Redskins are tied for the NFL lead with 10 sacks -- four by Ryan Kerrigan -- but all of them came in a 41-10 rout of lowly Jacksonville on Sept. 14.
Jennings is third in the league with 286 rushing yards while Washington's Alfred Morris is fourth at 253. Morris gained 244 yards in two games against New York as a rookie in 2012 before being limited to 88 last season in two defeats.
The Giants have taken six of the last eight meetings at Washington.