As the Washington Redskins get closer to the start of another season, Redskins.com will preview all 16 of the team's regular season games. Today is the Week 12 matchup with the New York Giants.
The Giants visit FedExField for the first meeting between the two division foes in 2017 on Thanksgiving, the first time the Redskins will host a game on the holiday.
New York's Key Additions: Signed WR Brandon Marshall (New York Jets), signed OL D.J. Fluker (Los Angeles Chargers), signed QB Geno Smith (New York Jets), drafted TE Evan Engram (Ole Miss), drafted DT Dalvin Tomlinson (Alabama), drafted DE Avery Moss (Youngstown State).
New York's Key Subtractions: WR Victor Cruz, K Robbie Gould
The last time the Giants came to FedExField, they effectively eliminated the Redskins from entering the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
With a victory, Washington would have seized control of the final wild card spot, but it couldn't capitalize at home, losing 19-10, seeding some bitterness into the offseason for a team that had the postseason in its grasp but couldn't hang on.
Their first shot at revenge will come well into the season on an historical day for many purposes, notably because the game will be played on Thanksgiving night, marking the first time in Redskins history that the team will host a game on the holiday.
This will be the 10th time that Washington will play on Thanksgiving but the first time at home, and not in Dallas or Detroit. Thus, it is the first time the Redskins will face the Giants in this yearly tradition, having faced the Cowboys eight times and the Lions once for a 2-7 record.
The Redskins most recently faced Dallas last year on Thanksgiving in a 31-26 loss at AT&T Stadium, and this season will mark the first time since 1973-1974 that the team has played on Thanksgiving in consecutive seasons. It will be the first time the Giants have played on Thanksgiving since 2009, but it will mark the franchise's 15th time dating back to 1926.
Washington will largely face familiar faces on offense but for the major addition of wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who was one of the first surprise acquisitions in free agency this offseason.
Marshall spent the last two years in New York playing for the Jets as their No. 1 wide receiver, but will take over as the team's second option behind Odell Beckham Jr., forming arguably one of the most talented receiver combinations in the league.
Marshall caught 59 passes for 788 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games, but should benefit with Beckham lining up with him and quarterback Eli Manning throwing him the football. The Giants should also benefit with the addition of Evan Engram, even while losing wide receiver Victor Cruz to the Bears in the offseason.
The first-round tight end from Ole Miss will provide New York with a legitimate middle of the field threat they haven't had in several years, which will likely give trouble to safeties intent on stopping the Giants' outside threats.
It remains to be seen if he will be able to contribute to the run game, which will see Paul Perkins take over as the incumbent and Shane Vereen providing a backfield receiving option. In his rookie season, Perkins tallied 456 rushing yards on 112 rushes for 4.1 yards per carry average.
The Giants hope that by naming him the starter outright this offseason, he will take advantage of the increased reps with the first-team offense and find the end zone, which he wasn't able to do on the ground last season.
That will rely on an offensive line that acquired some help with the addition of 2013 first-rounder D.J. Fluker after the Chargers let go of him in free agency. He will likely take over on the right side of an offensive line that Pro Football Focus ranked 20th in the league last season.
That could prevent the Giants offense from taking full advantage of their new weapons, but they hope Manning can play a little better than last season, in which he threw 26 touchdowns and 16 interceptions on just more than 4,000 yards.
The Redskins – particularly cornerback Quinton Dunbar – have had his number over the last couple of seasons. In 2016, they held him to just one passing touchdown and collected two interceptions (Su'a Cravens got his first) both occurring during the team's first victory of the year in September.
We'll write more about the Giants' defense in the Week 17 matchup article. 2017 Season Previews:
