Redskins vs. Giants: Week 8 offense and defense matchups, score prediction
Redskins defense vs. Giants offense
The Giants have a few weapons on the offensive side of the ball, and really have the makings of a solid unit. However, there are two parts of their team that are holding them back.
The first is Eli Manning. The now 37-year-old quarterback is well past his prime, and the Giants should have found a successor to him this offseason. Instead, they elected to continue on with him as the starter, and the results have not been great. Manning simply can’t get the ball downfield and is frequently forced to check the ball down. And that causes the offense to stagnate.
The other problem with the Giants is their offensive line. They haven’t performed well this year and have allowed Manning to be hit way too many times. Until their blocking improves, the passing offense will continue to struggle.
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Washington should be able to take advantage of these weaknesses. They have an elite defensive line and should be able to put a lot of heat on Manning. If they can do that, they will make him uncomfortable in the pocket, and that will force him to check the ball down. And because the Redskins have strong pursuit from their linebackers and safeties, it should benefit them as they swarm towards the ball.
The real matchups to watch are Saquon Barkley vs. the Redskins defensive line and Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Josh Norman. Barkley has been one of the better backs in the NFL this year while the Washington run defense has been among the league’s best as well. The winner of that battle should have a chance to emerge victorious, so that could end up being the top thing to watch in this contest overall.
Meanwhile, Beckham and Norman have a well-documented rivalry, and the duo squaring off again should be extremely interesting. At the same time, it’s possible that Beckham could be covered by Quinton Dunbar more than normal — if the Redskins top corner returns from the shin injury that kept him out last week. Either way, containing Beckham will be key in this game.
As long as Manning is the quarterback for the Giants, their offense will underachieve. For that reason, we like the Redskins on this side of the ball, so expect them to be ready to collapse the pocket early and often to rattle the Giants playmakers.