[Editor’s note:  Former Broncos G.M. Ted Sundquist looks at the Week Thirteen battle between the Giants and the Redskins.] 

Another divisional matchup between longtime rivals would paint a clearer picture in the NFC East. The defending champion New York Giants opened the season with a 16-7 victory over Washington’s rookie head coach Jim Zorn and Game 2 might give the Redskins some needed confidence going into the final quarter of the ’08 campaign. This game held particular significance because of the log jam in the NFC for the two “Wild-card” playoff entrants. At times Washington had seemed like legitimate contenders, but facing two stout defenses in Pittsburgh and Dallas the Redskins had been a bit humbled.

Would they answer the call or wilt under pressure?

I’ve covered New York a number of times this season and they continue to execute the same game plan over and over. A steady diet of the run on first and second downs has led to manageable situations for QB Eli Manning on 3rd. KEY #1 for Washington would be to bring some heat with a defense that allowed only a 56.89 passer rating off the blitz.

I felt it would be next to impossible to stop the Giant running game, though the Redskins did a fine job with 108 yards surrendered on 35 carries (3.1 avg). Key would be in disrupting Manning’s rhythm. Eli was 21 of 34 (1 TD/1 INT). The Redskins generated 2 sacks and 4 hurries all of which was produced by their front four. If the Giants could run on first and/or second, it was 3rd & medium (4-6) where they were struggling most (advantage Washington). New York faced two such scenarios and finished with an interception and a sack.

Game 1 saw Redskin RB Clinton Portis bottled up for his second lowest production on the season (84 yards). QB Jason Campbell was forced to pick up the slack and struggled to do so (15 of 27, 133 yards, 1 TD). The yards per attempt were the lowest on the season at 4.93.

KEY #2 would be to get Portis involved early and take the pressure off Campbell. By half time Portis had only 15 yards on 7 carries & one reception for 15. To his credit Campbell went 10 of 16 for 126 yards (87.0 rating). But Washington was only 1 of 5 on 3rd down and lost time of possession by almost 7 minutes, trailing 13-7 at intermission. Portis finished with only 22 yards on 11 carries, a long of 5 yards. New York more than bottled up Portis, they put a “cork” in him.

The Redskins have a “tight” secondary and New York possesses one of the more talented corps of receivers in the League, even without Plaxico Burress; Steve Smith, Amani Toomer and Domenik Hixon. Burress was scratched with a hamstring injury early in the week (later with a self-inflicted gunshot wound) and Washington would look to blanket New York’s wideouts and force the outlet routes.

KEY #3 would be TE Kevin Boss as a reliable target for Manning. I felt Boss might be an option on 3rd down in the Giant attack, but Boss was looked to more off play action on 1st. He hauled in 3 receptions for 45 yards, one for 24 on New York’s second possession that ended in a field goal. Manning found his WR’s for 13 catches, 185 yards & 1 TD. Washington wasn’t able to blanket New York’s passing game as the Giants hit for 40, 48, 18, 17, 17 & 24 yards.

Reciprocating KEY #3 would be New York’s ability to blanket Washington’s deep pass game (KEY #4). Jason Campbell led the League in 21+ “air yard” passer rating (127.7). In Game 1 the Giants had limited the down field throws and kept most production underneath the coverage. Campbell and company hit on 3 passes of 20+ or more (23, 20 & 21) adding completions of 17, 17, 15, 14 & 16 as well. But none connected for scores or resulted in any scoring drives as such. DC Aaron Ross came up with a pick and pass defense, while Corey Webster added 5 pass defenses of his own.

KEY #5 was to be the return game of Giant WR Domenik Hixon. With Hixon replacing Burress in most of the offensive packages, he was scratched as the KOR man. Hixon’s lone punt return went for 9 yards, supplemented by a 15 yard face masking penalty that put the ball at the Washington 48. New York would score on a 1 yard Brandon Jacobs’ run 8 plays later.