The New York Giants (3-11) and Washington Redskins (3-11) will square off on Sunday afternoon in Week 16.
The Giants opened the week as 2.5-point road underdogs, and the spread hasn’t changed at all as of Sunday morning.
With this matchup on tap, Giants Wire took the opportunity to hold a Q&A with Redskins Wire managing editor Zachary Neel.
Giants Wire: A lot has changed since the last time the Giants and Redskins met, including the status of rookie QB Dwayne Haskins. Now the starter, what have you seen from Haskins over the past 12 weeks and where should the Giants expect him to be in his development at this point?
Zachary Neel: Haskins is “lightyears” ahead of where he was when facing the Giants in Week 4, but that isn’t to say he’s some masterful playmaker. Rather it points to how atrocious he was early in the season.
However, Haskins has come a long way, and he has shown an increased comfortability in the pocket and understanding of when to get the ball out of his hands. He still struggles with accuracy downfield, but that is something that comes with time.
If the Giants want to rattle him, as with any young quarterback, you blitz him and force him to make quick decisions.
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The Giants avoided Terry McLaurin last time, but they won’t be so lucky this time. What makes him such an explosive and potentially dominant wide receiver?
I can’t say for certain, because I don’t know exactly what it felt like watching Odell Beckham Jr. in his rookie year with the Giants, but I would guess that Redskins fans feel a similar way to that when they watch McLaurin play.
This kid is dynamic and has a very high ceiling. He lacks a large frame, but it’s his ability to go up and make a tough catch in traffic that is almost jaw-dropping at times. The rookie has incredible hands, quick feet that make him nearly un-guardable at the top of his routes, and explosive breakaway speed make him tough to catch once he gets the ball downfield.
I’m not comparing McLaurin to OBJ, I’m just saying…the talent is there, and connections can be made if you’re so inclined to do so.
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What are some of the offensive and defensive differences the Giants and their fans might see this weekend compared to when Jay Gruden was head coach in Week 4?
Man it’s been a long season. It may sound cliché, but the Week 4 Washington Redskins and Week 16 Washington Redskins are two completely different teams at this point.
With Gruden out, and Bill Callahan in, the Redskins’ offense is extremely focused on running the ball and keeping the clock moving, but Haskins has also been able to sprinkle in some quick passes over the middle that get McLaurin and rookie WR Steven Sims Jr. into a rhythm.
On top of that, the defense — which was one of the worst in the NFL early this season — has settled into their own and found a way to get some stops along the way. The secondary is extremely banged-up at the moment, so they are liable to get beat in the passing game, but this Washington team will definitely prove harder to beat than the earlier version.
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Former Giants bust Ereck Flowers has drawn substantial praise in Washington this year. Is that warranted or more of a pick-me-up for a player still struggling with technique issues?
Flowers was tough to get a read on early in the season, due largely to the noise coming out of his former teams and their fan bases. He possesses a big stature that makes him formidable in the running game, but as you mentioned, his technique needs some work.
So far in Washington, he has done everything asked of him, and his performance, while not at an elite level, has been encouraging. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the Redskins keep him around for the next couple of years to see if he reaches his full potential.
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Speaking of former Giants, how has Landon Collins played this year and has he been able to round out his game and be effective in coverage as opposed to just in the box?
Collins — who was voted into the Pro Bowl as an alternate earlier this week — has been a great piece for the Redskins, but as you mentioned, largely in run support and nothing else. He has just three passes defended this season, and he’s given up a 71 percent completion percentage on 59 targets this year.
On a positive note, he leads the team in tackles by a large margin, and his ability to come up with big plays on defense has been encouraging. Until he can become more solid in coverage, it will be tough for him to live up to his massive $84 million contract, but so far he hasn’t been a complete whiff.
Make sure you check out Zachary Neel for all of your Redskins needs over at Redskins Wire.
