The Washington Redskins, one week after manhandling the New Orleans Saints in a 14-47 blowout, found themselves on the other side of things when they faced off against the undefeated Carolina Panthers. The Burgundy and Gold were outscored 16-44 in the effort, dropping their season record to 4-6, which, with another loss from Philadelphia, surprisingly keeps them in the mix for the NFC East title and playoff race.
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With that being said, last week’s loss against the Panthers turns the Redskins’ upcoming game against the New York Giants into a must win situation. Big Blue currently sits atop of the NFC East with a 5-5 record, while Washington and Philadelphia are tied for second place at 4-6.
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A victory over the Giants on Sunday would give the Redskins a share of the lead in the NFC East, while a loss would make it incredibly difficult for them to stay relevant moving forward. Luckily for Washington, they will be playing host this weekend, as the game will be held at FedEx Field – that bodes well for the Redskins. I say this because they play substantially better at home.
In one of my recent articles, I took a look at Washington’s performances on the road versus when they play at home. The difference in their play is staggering. Jay Gruden’s unit has scored 135 points at home this season and only 86 on the road, that’s a difference of 49 points.
The offensive production that the Redskins are capable of mustering up at home is impressive and certainly more than enough to win a good portion of the games that they compete in. Washington’s 27 points per game at home, while solid, is actually less than the amount of points that New York averages on the road, which is 27.6.
While the Giants average more on the road than the Redskins do at home, I still believe that Washington is capable of outscoring them at FedEx Field. The reason I believe this is because New York’s 27.6 points per game is bloated from their 49-52 shootout contest against the Saints earlier in the season. If you don’t factor in their effort against New Orleans, the Giants points per game on the road dips to 22.25.
Nov 1, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin walks onto the field during the game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Giants 52-49. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
If the Redskins can find a way to hold the Giants to their average, or at least close to it, there’s a good chance that they walk out of this game with a much needed victory. It won’t be an easy task, especially when you consider the fact that New York is coming off of a bye week – according to James Kratch of NJ.com, the giants are 7-4 under Tom Coughlin following a bye.
Having an additional week to scout their opposition will be huge for the Giants. The fact that they nearly took down the undefeated New England Patriots before going on their bye will likely play a huge role in the level of confidence that they exude. With that being said, there’s a good chance that New York is writing this game off as an easy victory.
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Having won their last five games against the Burgundy and Gold, it would make sense if the Giants took that approach. But, when facing a team with their backs against the wall, you can never completely rule out the underdog. Sitting at 4-6 with their playoff hopes on the line, the Washington Redskins must find a way to win this game against their divisional foe.
If they are capable of defeating the Giants, their chances of winning the division and breaking into the playoffs become far greater.