Washington and the New York Giants meet for the first time in 2014 and they will do it under the lights of Thursday Night Football. Both teams will enter the game with 1-2 records. A win would keep pace in the early-season NFC East race. A loss will leave plenty of work to do. Washington will try to rebound off a tough 37-34 defeat against the Philadelphia Eagles, while New York is aiming for a second consecutive victory after topping the Houston Texans, 30-17.
Giants vs. Washington 2014: Old rivalry goes primetime, with offense taking center stage
Eli Manning and Kirk Cousins square off in a clash of NFC East foes.
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
The Giants are still adjusting under new offensive coordinator, Ben McAdoo, who came over from the Green Bay Packers. Eli Manning and the offense finally began to look comfortable last Sunday, as Manning threw for 234 yards and a pair of touchdowns without an interception. New York also ripped off 193 rushing yards, with Rashad Jennings gaining 176 on 34 carries.
For Washington, the season's story has been under center. Robert Griffin III went down with a dislocated ankle in the first quarter of Week 2, ushering in Kirk Cousins who has stepped up and shined. Cousins threw for 250 yards and two scores against the Jacksonville Jaguars before amassing 427 yards and three touchdowns Sunday at Philadelphia. Washington failed to come away with the win, but the offense was not the main culprit in the loss.
Digits
Manning has enjoyed some success at FedEx Field, sporting a 6-4 record there during his career. The two-time Super Bowl MVP has tossed 10 touchdowns at the venue, the second-most among active players, trailing only Tony Romo (12).
WSH vs. NYG
DeSean Jackson has shined in NFC East contests throughout his career, scoring 16 touchdowns against divisional foes. That includes significant success against New York. Jackson has 11 receiving scores on 17.9 yards per reception against the Giants. He's also added two rushing and three return touchdowns, including his famous 65-yard punt return against New York with no time remaining in 2010.
New York’s offensive resurgence last week was in large part to an excellent performance from the offensive line. New York averaged 4.6 yards per carry, racking up 193 yards and earning a plus-7.2 grade from Pro Football Focus. While impressive, the Giants will have to prove it’s a repeatable performance. Although the Texans have J.J. Watt to anchor the defensive line, Houston hasn’t exactly been a dominant run defense this season. In fact, New York’s production was actually significantly down from what opponents racked up against Houston during the first two weeks. Oakland and Washington combined to average 5.8 yards per carry against Houston which is currently No. 30 in yards per carry allowed. Washington has been one of the top run defenses, allowing 2.8 YPC, tied for the best mark in the league. If the Giants can win the line of scrimmage and run the ball this week, it could be a sign the offense is really headed in the right direction.
Who to watch
McAdoo found success for the first time with his offense this season, and it will be intriguing to see if he can replicate it. McAdoo called runs early and often, setting up play-action passes for the turnover-prone Manning. The Giants will be challenged to run well Thursday. Washington ranks third in the league against the run at 64.7 yards allowed per game.
While Jackson and Pierre Garcon garner most of the attention from Washington's opponents, Niles Paul is leading the team with 253 receiving yards at 14.1 yards per catch. In his fourth year, Paul has been consistent with 86, 99 and 68 yards receiving in the first three games, respectively.
The Giants came into the year with uncertainty at tight end, but might have the makings of an answer in Larry Donnell. A second-year player out of Grambling State, Donnell has 18 catches for 182 yards and a touchdown, ranking second on the Giants in yardage behind Victor Cruz. Donnell has had a minimum of five catches in each game.
The venue
FedEx Field is known as one of the most festive and boisterous settings in the NFL. Since the days of RFK Stadium, Washington enjoys a tailgating setting that involves many well-known groups including the The Hail BBQ and The Hogs. Despite having a rabid fan base, Washington has a combined 8-9 record in its last 17 games at home.
Odds
Washington is favored by 3.5 points over the Giants, with an over/under of 45. New York is 4-9 over its last 13 games against the spread, while Washington is 5-2 covering the spread against the Giants in their last seven meetings.
Preliminary Judgment
SB Nation's NFL experts are fairly split on the matchup with four picking Washington and three picking New York. Here is a look at how our panel of seven sees the game.
| Week 4 | Ryan Van Bibber | Stephen White | Joel Thorman | David Fucillo | Danny Kelly | PFT Commenter | Matt Ufford |
| NYG vs. WAS | NYG | WAS | NYG | WAS | WAS | WAS | NYG |
Further Reading
For more on the Giants, check out Big Blue View.
To read about Washington, head over to Hogs Haven.
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