Game Preview, Week 15: New York Giants at Washington
Game Preview, Week 15: New York Giants at Washington
December 17, 2022
by Steve Thomas
Well, well, well. What do we have here? Most improbably, the Washington Redskins Washington Football Team Washington Commanders Dan Snyder’s Abused Plaything Washington actually controls its own playoff destiny, for all intents and purposes. If they win out, then they’ll be in, against all odds. The New York Giants, part 2, are first up on the hit parade. The Giants started off the season on a roll, but have been . . . not good recently, including getting skunked by the Philadelphia Eagles by the not close score of 48 – 22. Of course, the downer would say that the fact that the Eagles destroyed a team that Washington was lucky to tie just one week ago probably doesn’t bode well for Washington’s future, but I recommend that fans focus on the positive: a win in week 15 would be a pretty big step up in this season’s playoff hierarchy. Can they happen? Yes. Will it happen? Hard to say, honestly. Stay tuned this coming Sunday night to find out. Our game preview starts below.
Game time & location: Sunday, December 18, 2022, 8:20 p.m. ET, Fed Ex Field, Raljon, Maryland; Gates open 4:20 p.m. ET; Red Zone parking lots open 3:20 p.m.; all other parking lots 4:20 p.m.
Television: NBC
Television announcers: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark
TV broadcast map: click here
DC-area radio: The Team 980
Washington radio network: click here
Giants radio network: click here
Satellite radio: SiriusXM: 225 (Wash. broad.); internet: 831 (Wash. broad.)
Washington roster: click here
Washington depth chart: click here
Giants roster: click here
Giants depth chart: click here
Records: Washington 7 – 5 – 1 (home: 3 – 3); Giants 7 – 5 – 1 (away: 3 – 2)
All-time head-to-head record vs Giants: 70 – 104 – 5 (last 10: 3 – 6 – 1 ; streak: 0 – 0 – 1 )
Last meeting: T, December 4, 2022, 20 – 20
Early odds: Washington, -4.5
3 KEYS TO THE GAME
Live up to the moment
This is the same as two weeks ago – the single most important factor to Washington getting a win in this game, regardless of any strategy or matchup, is for them to continue to live up to the moment. Several recent Giants games have ended up as Giants blowouts, and normally it’s because Washington simply didn’t show up, as a team. Playing any team two games in a row is tough, much less a division rival in a critical game with playoff implications. Washington’s players and coaches need to be on top of their game, because it’s the most important game so far this season.
Run the ball, then run it again, then run some more
This one isn’t rocket science. Washington has been winning recently courtesy of an increasingly effective run game, and the Giants have a terrible run defense. New York’s opponents have averaged a stunning 5.4 yards per carry this season, which is 29th in the league. Washington gained 165 yards on the ground in week 13, and need to play to their strength. From a game-plan perspective, this is the key to a Washington victory.
Control the Giants ground game
The other end of this coin is that the Giants are a run-heavy offense and happen to have one of the better running backs in the league in Saquon Barkley who is mostly returning to form this season after two brutal years recovering from a knee injury. New York’s passing attack is hampered by both injuries to key receivers and by quarterback Daniel Jones’ limitations, so keeping them from getting rolling on the ground will be important to a Washington win. That having been said, Jones’ best talent is his mobility, and containing mobile quarterbacks is something at which Washington has sometimes struggled. The Giants are averaging 4.7 yards per carry as a team, so this could possibly be a tall order.
3 KEY MATCHUPS
Wes Schweitzer vs. Dexter Lawrence
This has the potential to be . . . extraordinarily bad. Lawrence is leading the Giants in sacks this year, with 5, which is a fairly impressive number for an interior defensive lineman. Washington obviously has a vested interest in keeping Taylor Heinicke sack-free, and this week is starts with Lawrence. As an interior lineman, Schweitzer, Washington’s backup to the backup to the backup center (is that right?), will play a very prominent role in limiting the damage. Keep an eye out on whether Lawrence is able to dominate Washington on passing downs. If that’s the case, much of it will probably fall on Schweitzer.
Jonathan Allen vs Saquon Barkley
Best on best, one more time. Allen, Washington’s defensive leader, versus the undeniable leader of the Giants offense. Allen, on the inside of Washington’s defensive line, is probably the most important component to Washington’s plan to contain Barkley. Allen is having yet another top-quality season, and he’s going to be charged with clogging up the middle and slowing down the Giants’ run game. New York doesn’t really have a great option behind Barkley, so Allen being able to be on top of Barkley will be a key part of a Washington victory.
Is this guy actually going to finally play? Who knows, but Young finally being back, if it actually happens, is a pretty darn big deal both for him and the team. Young has quite a bit to prove this year, as he becomes eligible for a contract extension at the end of this season. For his part, Thomas was the Giants’ first round pick of the 2020 draft, and in no small part was brought to New York expressly to face Young. This is probably the highest-profile battle in the game. If it happens.
OFFICIAL INJURY REPORT (active roster only) (starters in bold)
LP – limited practice FP – full practice DNP – did not practice
NIR – not injury related Q – questionable O – out
D – doubtful NL – not listed
| Washington | Giants |
| OL S. Charles, concussion; Wed: NL; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O | OL J. Ezeudu, neck; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O |
| RB A. Gibson, foot; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP | DB A. Jackson, knee; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O |
| G A. Norwell, shoulder; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP | OL S. Lemieux, toe; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O |
| RB B. Robinson Jr., quad; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP | DB N. McCloud, illness; Wed: LP; Thurs: DNP’ Fri: LP; game: Q |
| WR C. Sims, back; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP; game: Q | LB E. Smith, achilles; Wed: LP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; to IR |
| CB B. St-Juste, ankle; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP; game: Q | TE D. Bellinger, rib; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP; game: Q |
| DE C. Young, knee; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP; game; Q | WR R. James, concussion; Wed: DNP; Thurs: LP; Fri: FP; game; Q |
| T S. Cosmi, ankle; Wed: FP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP | LB J. Ward, concussion; Wed: DNP; Thurs: LP; Fri: FP; game: Q |
| LB J. Davis, thumb; Wed: FP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP | DL L. Williams, neck; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP; game: Q |
| WR D. Milne, foot; Wed: LP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP | DL D. Lawrence, NIR (rest); Wed: DNP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP |
| DE J. Smith-Williams, concussion; Wed: LP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP | DB J. Love, NIR (rest); Wed: DNP; Thurs: FP; Fri: LP |
| DE M. Sweat, concussion; Wed: LP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP | LB M. McFadden, neck/ankle; Wed: FP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP |
| G T. Turner, knee; Wed: LP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP | |
| DL E. Obada, finger; Wed: NL; Thurs: NL; Fri: LP; game: Q |
Steve’s Prediction: Giants win 20 – 17. Sorry, but I think the gig is going to be up this week. It’s really tough to play a team twice in a row, and I just think that New York is going to figure out a way to play slightly better than they did in week 13, and alot better than they did last week. Washington, on the other hand, while being fun to watch, has offensive limitations that will be their downfall this week.
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