Last Updated on December 29, 2010 11:07 pm by Anthony Rome
Giants vs. Redskins Preview
Landover, MD (AP) – The New York Giants claim they won’t be looking at the scoreboard during Sunday’s season finale against the Washington Redskins. One can’t help but wonder if their minds may wander back to their previous two games.
The Giants need to defeat their NFC East rivals for the sixth straight time and get some help in order to clinch a fifth playoff berth in six seasons.
According to latest NFL odds, oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL.com have made the Giants 4-point spread favorites for Sunday’s game against the Redskins. Current NFL Public Betting Information shows that 79% of more than 4,492 bets for this game have been placed on the Giants -4.
New York (9-6) seemed on course for the NFC East title before blowing a 21-point lead in the final 7 1/2 minutes of a 38-31 loss to Philadelphia on Dec. 19. The Giants then could have clinched a wild-card spot last week in Green Bay, but they allowed a season-high 515 yards in a 45-17 loss.
Now, New York must defeat Washington (6-9) and hope the Packers lose at home Sunday to NFC North champion Chicago in a game that starts at the same time. The Bears, however, clinched a first-round bye thanks to Tuesday’s surprising victory by Minnesota at Philadelphia and could rest their regulars.
A Packers’ victory would render New York’s fourth 10-win season in six years not good enough for a postseason berth. Only five 10-win teams have failed to make the playoffs since 1990, when the NFL increased to six teams in each conference advancing to the postseason.
“We can’t fault anyone but ourselves,” safety Antrel Rolle said. “We had it in the grasp of our hands, and we didn’t take advantage of the opportunities. Now, we have to leave it in the hands of something else. It’s something in this league that you never, ever want to do.”
The Giants insist they will concentrate on winning a fifth straight game at FedEx Field, and not on what happens between the Packers and Bears.
“We’ve got to go in expecting everything to work out for the best, feeling that Chicago is going to win for us,” said Eli Manning, who has a career-high 30 touchdowns and an NFL-high 24 interceptions. “Go in with that attitude and if that doesn’t work out, all we did was give it our best shot and it didn’t work our way.”
New York beat Washington 31-7 on Dec. 5, as Brandon Jacobs rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns and Ahmad Bradshaw added 97 yards and two scores.
That kind of production has been absent the last two weeks with a total of 190 rushing yards. The Giants are 7-0 when rushing for more than 120 yards.
In addition, Jacobs and Bradshaw each lost a fumble against the Packers, and Manning threw four interceptions to bring New York’s league-worst turnover total to 41, part of the reason why speculation has swirled around coach Tom Coughlin’s job.
Washington, meanwhile, will stick with Mike Shanahan despite a difficult first season in which Donovan McNabb was benched after 13 games and Albert Haynesworth suspended after 12.
Shanahan doesn’t view the Giants as a team fading down the stretch.
“They had two teams that were playing very hot,” he said. “There is a reason why when you look at the Giants, they’re really almost in the top five in every statistical area on offense and defense and there is a reason for it over the last 15 games. They’re very well coached with a lot of good players.”
The Giants won’t have to go up against McNabb, who tormented them with 27 touchdowns to nine interceptions in 18 games with Philadelphia. He was replaced two weeks ago by Rex Grossman, who has five touchdowns and three interceptions as the Redskins have split his two starts.
New York also may not see linebacker Brian Orakpo, who leads Washington with 8 1/2 sacks. Orakpo missed last week’s 20-17 overtime win at Jacksonville with groin and hamstring injuries, and it’s unclear whether he will be back.
The Giants have serious injury concerns with their offense. Leading receiver Hakeem Nicks is doubtful with a broken big toe on his left foot while Pro Bowl center Shaun O’Hara aggravated the Achilles’ tendon condition in his left leg at Green Bay.
Coughlin, meanwhile, has implored the Giants to look forward band focus on finishing the season with a strong effort.
“It’ll be a divisional game, it’ll be a physical game,” he said. “It’s one we look forward to because quite frankly we’d like to have some other memory of how we play than last weekend.”
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