Previewing the Washington Redskins Week 12 matchup with the New York Giants
Redskins offense vs. Giants defense
For most of the season, the Giants defense has struggled mightily. They rank 31st in the league in total yards allowed with close to 400 being let up each game. Additionally, they are 22nd in scoring defense allowing 24.7 points per game. They are not a very strong collective unit, though their personnel is individually talented, but they are coming off one of their best performances of the year.
Against the Chiefs in Week 11, the Giants allowed only 9 points in their victory over the Chiefs. Their secondary did a great job of shutting down the Chiefs receivers and Alex Smith couldn’t get anything going as a result. Janoris Jenkins and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie finally arrived and the Giants defense looked closer to what they were during their playoff campaign last year.
This week, it’s unclear what the Giants will get out of their defense. It’s possible that the unit could have been motivated to succeed due to a full team meeting with Ben McAdoo last week. Their effort from week to week has been questionable, but the should be motivated for a Thanksgiving game against a divisional rival.
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With all that said, Kirk Cousins has to be just a bit worried about this contest. He may have been licking his chops about facing them but after seeing their performance last week, there’s a bit of a reason to be concerned. The team has a good pass rush, but Trent Williams and Morgan Moses should contain Olivier Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul. So Cousins shouldn’t have to worry about that.
What Cousins does have to worry about is the secondary. When they play up to their full potential, the Giants can be one of the better secondaries in the league. On Thursday, it seems likely that Josh Doctson will matchup with Jenkins and that will be a test for him. Doctson fared well against the Saints in Week 11 though, so perhaps he is hitting his stride. Meanwhile, DRC will line up across from Jamison Crowder while Eli Apple, if he plays, will take on Maurice Harris. The Redskins are at a disadvantage in both of these battles, so that could be a problem for them. But if Cousins plays well and can create space with his throws, then the team should be fine.
The run game will have a chance to do well against New York. While Damon “Snacks” Harrison is one of the better run stuffers in the league, the Giants linebackers are a weaker point and their second defensive tackles are only decent. Samaje Perine will have a chance to get a lot of carries and he will see a lot of action as the top back, especially with Chris Thompson out.
Overall, the Redskins should win on this side of the ball. The Giants have a strong secondary, but that’s about it. If the team can run a balanced offense like they did for most of last week, then the Giants will have trouble containing the team.