The New York Giants travel to Washington to face the Redskins in a Monday night showdown that could make or break the playoff hopes of the Giants. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 pm and the game can be seen nationally on ESPN. Are you ready for some football? Hopefully Big Blue is.
As has become a tradition in my two years at Examiner, my Giants-Redskins preview is a question and answer session with the Washington Redskins Examiner, Mr. Mark Nugent, a great, great man.
Lots of movement in the Washington front office this week. What are your thoughts on the moves?
Firing Cerrato was a long time coming. He was at the core of the organizational rot at Redskins Park.
While Bruce Allen isn't a player/personnel maestro, he is great at managing a salary cap and an able administrator. I think he is a great fit at general manager if, as I keep hearing, Mike Shanahan is going to be the new head coach.
What will Jim Zorn be doing in February? Do you want him as Washington's coach?
Jim Zorn is finished as the Redskins head coach. While I like him as a person, Zorn was clearly in over his head here in Washington with Cerrato, who was constantly undermining him all season.
This is the fourth edition of these questions and each time I ask you about Jason Campbell. Will he be the Redskins starter in 2010?
I don't think Campbell made a stellar case to be the starter in 2010, but who is there to replace him. None of the other quarterbacks on the Redskins roster is a viable long term solution. A lot of Campbell's travails have to do with the swiss cheese offensive line that can't protect him. Despite that he has improved over 2008. I compared his stats to the three quarterbacks who won Super Bowls withe the Redskins Joe Theismann, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien, and Campbell has a better QB rating and completion percentage than all three of them. If as expected there is no salary cap in 2010, Campbell's status changes to unrestricted free agent to restricted free agent and the Redskins could retain him for a pittance while the draft a quarterback or look for one in free agency. So I think Campbell could very well be the starter in 2010.
I have no faith in the Giants ability to stop the pass. What about Washington's offense should put my fears to rest?
The aforementioned sieve of a Redskins offensive line should put your fears to rest. The Giants pass rush has pounded Campbell over the last three meetings and I don't see anything that tells me they won't do so again.
Who will be the Redskins MVP on Monday night if Washington wins the game?
If the Redskins can get the running game going, I think new starter Quinton Ganther could be in for a big game. With Ganther the running game has more of a burst than when Clinton Portis was healthy. Ganther runs hard and hits holes quickly.
Prediction time. Who ya got?
The Redskins are not the same team that lost the Giants in the opener. They are a much better team now especially on offense. However, the Giants match-up on the Redskins better than any other division rival and more to the point, New York needs this win to stay in the playoff picture. Giants 27, Redskins 24.
Lots of movement in the Washington front office this week. What are your thoughts on the moves?
Firing Cerrato was a long time coming. He was at the core of the organizational rot at Redskins Park.
While Bruce Allen isn't a player/personnel maestro, he is great at managing a salary cap and an able administrator. I think he is a great fit at general manager if, as I keep hearing, Mike Shanahan is going to be the new head coach.
What will Jim Zorn be doing in February? Do you want him as Washington's coach?
Jim Zorn is finished as the Redskins head coach. While I like him as a person, Zorn was clearly in over his head here in Washington with Cerrato, who was constantly undermining him all season.
This is the fourth edition of these questions and each time I ask you about Jason Campbell. Will he be the Redskins starter in 2010?
I don't think Campbell made a stellar case to be the starter in 2010, but who is there to replace him. None of the other quarterbacks on the Redskins roster is a viable long term solution. A lot of Campbell's travails have to do with the swiss cheese offensive line that can't protect him. Despite that he has improved over 2008. I compared his stats to the three quarterbacks who won Super Bowls withe the Redskins Joe Theismann, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien, and Campbell has a better QB rating and completion percentage than all three of them. If as expected there is no salary cap in 2010, Campbell's status changes to unrestricted free agent to restricted free agent and the Redskins could retain him for a pittance while the draft a quarterback or look for one in free agency. So I think Campbell could very well be the starter in 2010.
I have no faith in the Giants ability to stop the pass. What about Washington's offense should put my fears to rest?
The aforementioned sieve of a Redskins offensive line should put your fears to rest. The Giants pass rush has pounded Campbell over the last three meetings and I don't see anything that tells me they won't do so again.
Who will be the Redskins MVP on Monday night if Washington wins the game?
If the Redskins can get the running game going, I think new starter Quinton Ganther could be in for a big game. With Ganther the running game has more of a burst than when Clinton Portis was healthy. Ganther runs hard and hits holes quickly.
Prediction time. Who ya got?
The Redskins are not the same team that lost the Giants in the opener. They are a much better team now especially on offense. However, the Giants match-up on the Redskins better than any other division rival and more to the point, New York needs this win to stay in the playoff picture. Giants 27, Redskins 24.