Competitors: London Fletcher, Perry Riley, Lorenzo Alexander, Keenan Robinson, Jonathan Goff

The Redskins finally re-signed London Fletcher (hallelujah), so naturally he can be expected to start all 16 games and make a thousand more tackles this year.

The big question mark here is at the other 3-4 inside linebacker spot, where they have four legitimate options to work with.

Perry Riley has a lot of physical strengths, but he has shown weaknesses in coverage. In a 3-4 defense, the inside linebackers are often asked to drop back in coverage on a tight end or running back.

Lorenzo Alexander has been terrific on special teams, but he may be the Reed Doughty of the linebacking core—a smart player who makes tackles, but just doesn’t have the athletic ability to get consistent playing time.

Keenan Robinson and Jonathan Goff are the two mysteries of this group.              

Robinson is a rookie from Texas who showed great athleticism at the combine. In theory, his speed makes him best suited for the job, but he is just a rookie and thus carries rookie expectations.

Goff is even more vexing—in 2010, Goff recorded 80 tackles with the Giants and looked great. He tore his ACL after that great campaign, however, and missed the entire 2011 season. If he can recover and return to form, what a duo he and Fletcher could form up the middle.

Prediction: Everything hinges on Goff’s injury. If he heals, he should be the guy. If not, look for Riley to play a lot on running downs and a combination of Alexander and Robinson on passing downs.

Oh, what could have been were it not for Tim Tebow’s overtime pass. The ending to the Steelers’ 2011 campaign left a bitter taste in everyone’s mouth.  

That is unless, of course, you’re a Tim Tebow fan, in which case I hope you savored the moment because your favorite backup has peaked.  

While the team finished 12-4, they were swept by their bitter divisional rivals the Baltimore Ravens.

The two storied franchises have only played each other six times in the last quarter century and Washington is 2-4 against the Steelers.  

The last time the two teams faced off was in 2008 and don’t let the record books fool you. The schedule may have recorded the game as a home game for the ‘Skins but it was far from it. In the second half, the Redskins offense had to go into a silent snap count because of crowd noise.

Big Ben went down with an injury and D.C. native Byron Leftwich came in and put the game out of reach. The box score shows a final score of 23-6 but the game may as well have been a shutout. 

The league’s top-ranked defense, in a cruel twist of fate, would end up costing the Steelers a shot at the Super Bowl last year. But Pittsburgh’s offense, ranked 21st overall, was held back by a hobbled Ben Roethlisberger and uncharacteristically bad running attack.

For Washington, the Week 8 matchup is made worse by their prior week’s matchup against the Giants in New York. I wonder how much will be left in the tank when the Skins arrive in Pittsburgh. 

That’s right! The Washington Redskins 2012 NFL schedule is out and all I can hope for is an epic fail of a year. I’m a New York Giants fan and of course who and where the Washington Redskins play is relevant to me. They owned us last season and it pains me to admit that. But that was then and this is now.

Looking at the Washington Redskins 2012 schedule I see about three games that I’m totally interested in:

SEPT. 09 @ New Orleans Saints:

Bounty-gate game numero uno. I hate both of these teams with a passion. But don’t get me wrong, I’m still going to tune in. The Washington Redskins may have RG III and I don’t know if he’s going to start, but there is no way I’m missing this game. The New York Giants will have already played and defeated the Dallas Cowboys so I’m locked in to this one. I have to scope out the competition don’t you know.

NOV. 04 vs. Carolina Panthers:

Dude, RG III (potentially) against Cam Newton. Who doesn’t want to see these two beasts going head to head?. Again, both of these teams are potential nemesis’ to my team but nonetheless this is has the makings for a very exciting game. If you play fantasy football and have either one of these guys on your team you could be in for mega points.

DEC. 03 vs. New York Giants: Duh! I’m a New York Giants fan. Of course this game means something to me. Not only is it against a divisional foe, it’s also on Monday Night Football. The world will be watching. All I want here is to watch my New York Giants pound the poo out of the Washington Redskins. I would’ve used a stronger word than poo but due to rules and whatnot I’m resigned to the word poo. Yeah, to say the least I’m all over this game.

In Closing

The NFC East is a brutal division. As much as I’d like to go on and crown my New York Giants as divisional champs, I will hold my tongue. On second thought, no I won’t. The New York Giants will once again be division champs. The Dallas Cowboys are going to be virtually the same as they were last year. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins are the two teams that I’m sweating the most.

Here’s an early prediction of how the NFC East will end up:

1. New York Giants (of course I’m biased)

2. Philadelphia Eagles

3. Dallas Cowboys (I wish I could put them as the #4)

4. Washington Redskins

2012 Washington Redskins Schedule

SEPT. 09 @ New Orleans Saints

SEPT. 16 @ St. Louis Rams

SEPT. 23 vs. Cincinnati Bengals

SEPT. 30 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

OCT. 07 vs. Atlanta Falcons

OCT. 14 vs. Minnesota Vikings

OCT. 21 @ New York Giants

OCT. 28 @ Pittsburgh Steelers

NOV. 04 vs. Carolina Panthers

BYE

NOV. 18 vs. Philadelphia Eagles

NOV. 22 @ Dallas Cowboys

DEC. 03 vs. New York Giants

DEC. 09 vs. Baltimore Ravens

DEC. 16 @ Cleveland Browns

DEC. 23 @ Philadelphia Eagles

DEC. 30 vs. Dallas Cowboys

Dylan Davis is a hardcore New York Giants fan but always has his finger on the pulse of what goes on in the NFC East and the NFL. His football knowledge and knack for insight is unrivaled. Bow down and show some respect.

Source

NFL.com

Now that NFL.com has confirmed that the New York Giants have acquired ex-Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers for a 2012 fifth-rounder, the Redskins should sign former Big Blue starter Jonathan Goff.

According to the New York Times, the Giants may use the trade of Rivers as an opportunity to move Michael Boley into Goff’s sot at middle linebacker. Goff visited the Cleveland Browns earlier in free agency and yesterday visited the Miami Dolphins. The Giants cap limits have meant they have only offered minimum length deals to many of their free agents this offseason.

The Redskins front office has yet to reach a new deal with defensive leader London Fletcher. Moves made this week, including finding room for contracts for Leigh Torrence, Madieu Williams and James Lee, leaves the question, why has Fletcher still not been re-signed?

The inside linebacker is crucial to Washington’s defense and his loss would leave a huge hole in the front seven. Goff has the attributes to man the middle of the Redskins’ 3-4 scheme and could revive his career in D.C.

At 6’2″ and 241 pounds, he has the size necessary to plug the middle and take on blockers in coordinator Jim Haslett’s 2-gap system. Goff is a stout run defender with sure tackling technique and excellent instincts.

He is more of a thumper in the middle, possessing decent downhill quickness, but lacking true range and athleticism. However, Goff compensates for these deficiencies with natural smarts and the ability to diagnose plays.

A career 4-3 ‘backer, Goff has the intelligence to make a quick transition to the nuances and requirements of Washington’s 3-4 front. The only serious question mark surrounding him is durability.

Goff missed the entire 2011 campaign with an ACL injury. The Redskins front office would need to be sure that the ailment hasn’t robbed Goff of the necessary mobility and initial quickness to succeed.

He would need to quickly demonstrate that he is capable of returning to his 2010 level. Goff started all 16 games that year and tallied 80 solo tackles and one sack.

The 26-year-old is a savvy, young linebacker who has overcome a lot to earn starter’s status in the league. He fits the mould of the kind of player Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen have pursued in the last two free agency periods.

If he can prove his fitness, Goff could step in for Fletcher and develop in the scheme, or even learn from the veteran for a season before taking over. At the very least Goff would boost the Redskins’ depth at linebacker and provide insurance in case Fletcher finds a new team for 2012.

The Washington Redskins need to make a committed effort to hiring Steve Spagnuolo as their new defensive coordinator.

Yesterday, NFL.com reported that current St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo is readying to be relieved of his duties with the NFC West cellar-dwellers.

The report stated that Spagnuolo could be fired after the conclusion of the 2011 regular season if the Rams decide to make a serious move for former Tennessee Titans head man Jeff Fisher.

The Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants are already listed as the front runners for Spagnuolo’s services as defensive coordinator.

Spagnuolo has prominent ties to both teams. He served as secondary coach for the Eagles, while being mentored by the late great Jim Johnson.

He took what he learned from Johnson with him to the Giants, where he was appointed defensive coordinator in 2007.

Spagnuolo turned a languishing Big Blue defense into a sack-happy unit that propelled the Giants all the way to Super Bowl triumph.

But it is the Redskins who should make the biggest push for Spagnuolo. Despite its talent level, Washington’s defense has let the team down in critical moments this season.

The most recent collapse came at home against the lowly Minnesota Vikings. One criticism of Jim Haslett’s defense is that the unit simply fails to make enough big plays.

The Redskins’ turnover return is again paltry, and Haslett’s blitz packages are badly designed and poorly timed.

Spagnuolo is a master of the fire-zone blitz concepts that the Redskins are desperate to emulate. His blitzes are cleverly crafted and wide ranging.

Although he has been a 4-3 coach throughout his career, Spagnuolo would have no problem transferring his fire-zone packages to the Redskins’ 3-4 front.

He would have plenty of the right kind of talent to work with in Washington. Spagnuolo’s imaginative play-calling would better utilise the pass-rushing skills of Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan.

The duo would be moved around more, positioned to attack different gaps and rush from multiple angles.

Current nose tackle Barry Cofield worked with Spagnuolo in New York. He knows the system well and played his best football for Spagnuolo.

Spagnuolo’s schemes require an extension of the coach on the field. Usually this role is given to the middle linebacker.

Spagnuolo would inherit a natural quarterback for the defense in the form of superb veteran London Fletcher.

The 14-year pro’s intelligence and instincts would make him the perfect choice to call and audible Spagnuolo’s multiple schemes on the field.

Spagnuolo is also a tough, hard-nosed coach who may do a better job of keeping some of the bigger personalities on the Redskins defense in line.

His reputation as the architect of the New England Patriots’ defeat in Super Bowl XLII commands respect, and his varied and daring system is known to be a favorite among defensive players.

As a team, the Redskins need more big plays. The defense has performed well this season but is still nowhere near the dominant unit it could be.

Spagnuolo has the knowledge and ideas to give the Redskins the kind of aggressive, turnover-binging defense they had hope for when they made the switch to 3-4.

Read More: LeSean McCoy (RB – PHI), Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

According to head coach Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy should be ready to play Sunday when they host the Washington Redskins. Despite the Eagles being eliminated from playoff contention after the Giants win over the Jets on Sunday, Reid reinforced that his team is playing to win in the final week of the season and that his starters would play.

Via EaglesInsider:

AR: Starters WILL play against the Redskins, we’re in this thing to play our best football.

The definitive nature of Reid’s comments is incongruous with what McCoy had said earlier. The Eagles running back, who sprained his ankle in a win over the Cowboys on Sunday, is just 123 yards from breaking Wilbert Montgomery’s single season team rushing record and had stated “Montgomery, he’s probably smiling right now. I’ll get it next year – hopefully.”

But Reid indicated that McCoy will be on the field against the Skins:

Via Jonathan Tamari of the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Reid: Shady has a “slight” ankle sprain but should be fine for Sunday #Eagles

For more on the Redskins, please visit Hogs Haven, SB Nation’s Redskins blog. For the perspective from the other side, please visit SB Nation Philly and Bleeding Green Nation, SB Nation’s Eagles blog.

Washington Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett and his defensive backs have said all season that interceptions come in bunches and if they continued to do their jobs effectively, eventually they would experience a breakthrough.

DeAngelo Hall (23) makes a one handed interception while covering New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (88) Sunday. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)The Redskins finally had that day last week against the New York Giants, when they intercepted Eli Manning a season’s-best three times. Cornerbacks DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson, and safety Oshiomogho Atogwe all came up with picks. Wilson’s came in the end zone during the fourth quarter as Manning tried to lead the Giants on a comeback.

Haslett said one of the keys for his defenders was that they found themselves in the rare position of playing with a lead, which allowed them to mix things up a bit.

“We had a nice lead early and that gave us an opportunity to play a little more cover-2 and do some different things, where the corners got to play more like man-under and play two-deep behind it,” Haslett explained.

The Redskins, who now have 12 interceptions, hope they can close out the season by increasing their turnover total in the final two weeks.

On Saturday they face Vikings rookie quarterback Christian Ponder, who in nine games has thrown 12 interceptions. One in every 22 pass attempts of his has been picked.

“Well, sometimes they come in bunches,” Haslett says, offering the trademark line. “When you have more wins, obviously, you get more turnovers. So, it kind of goes hand in hand. … We’re going to keep working at it and hopefully in these next two games we’ll get a few more.”

More on the Redskins:

Redskins’ practice is scripted to the last detail

Jammal Brown likely to return Sunday

Cofield has a nose for his new position

There are a very high number of fantasy football owners picking up the Washington Redskins defense in Week 16. In fact, the Redskins have become the most-added defense on Dec. 22, out-distancing safer choices like the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos. The intent here is clear; many fantasy owners feel that the Redskins are going to beat up on the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, Dec. 24, and they want to get in on the action.

When it comes to fantasy football defenses in 2011, Washington doesn’t make the top-five list that I put together. In fact, in the Yahoo! scoring system, Washington checks in at No. 23 with just 94 total fantasy points this year. That’s way down the list, so maybe the adding of Washington comes from desperation or a simple hope that the team is about to put together a really good week.

Washington beat the New York Giants (on the road) in Week 15, allowing just 10 points to Eli Manning and company. The team posted 13 fantasy points along the way, marking the second-highest total that the defense has had in 2011. Back in Week 1 the Redskins defense had 15 points against the Giants and then in Week 4 they posted 13 points against the St. Louis Rams. All three of these games were wins, indicating that when the Redskins defense is doing very well, the team has a great chance to win.

So far in 2011, the Redskins have 37 sacks, 12 interceptions, 7 forced fumbles, one defensive touchdown and a blocked kick. Compared to other teams those statistics are not very good, with the 37 sacks as the only real standout. That puts the Redskins at No. 10 in total sacks, but way back at No. 21 in interceptions and No. 22 in forced fumbles. Now the team gets to play a struggling Minnesota Vikings team with the hopes of increasing every statistical defensive number.

So can Washington have a good fantasy week on defense? It’s definitely possible, especially because Minnesota gives up the eleventh highest number of fantasy points to team defenses this season. They did give up 27 to the Detroit Lions in Week 14, 17 to the Chicago Bears in Week 6 and 15 to both the Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders in Weeks 10 and 11. I personally like the Denver Broncos defense as a great pick-up this week, but if you are desperate, take a serious look at the Redskins.

More From YCN :

Best_2011_Defenses

Best_Five_Fantasy_Players

Tim_Tebow_Beats_Tom_Brady

Seahawks_Dominate_Bears

2011 Best Fantasy Defenses

Sources:

Week 15 NFL Scores

Defensive Team Leaders

Yahoo! Fantasy Football

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

A review of the best and worst performances by the Washington Redskins‘ offense and some observations after re-watching the TV broadcast of their 23-10 win over the New York Giants.

GAME BALLS

RG CHRIS CHESTER:Chester led a solid performance by the offensive line. It was inconsistent — breakdowns prevented any of the Redskins‘ running backs from a rush longer than eight yards — but linemen generated significant push often enough to move the ball on the ground and command respect from the Giants‘ linebackers. That’s quite an accomplishment for a patchwork unit facing what usually is a stout Giants front seven.

Chester’s timing with C Will Montgomery was effective on several combination blocks. RB Evan Royster gained seven yards behind them on Washington’s second touchdown drive. DT Linval Joseph lined up over Chester. Chester exploded up into Joseph off the snap, threw off Joseph’s arms and quickly hooked him to the right. Chester then released to block MLBChase Blackburn, while Montgomery had positioned himself to seamlessly replace him blocking Joseph.

Chester believes his timing with Montgomery has significantly improved from the start of the season, he said Tuesday. He and Montgomery have played the most games at their respective offensive line positions — 14 and 12, respectively. That shows how beneficial stability is.

FB DARREL YOUNG:Young made a major impact on the game as a blocker and a runner. He had four carries — three for first downs and one for a touchdown. The Redskins used some quick handoffs to Young to take advantage of how New York’s ends like to get up field. And as you’d expect, his power was a major asset in short yardage. Young converted second-and-1 in the third quarter by lowering his shoulder and bulling DE Justin Tuck backward. He also ran through S Antrel Rolle’s tackle in the secondary on his 6-yard touchdown.

Young’s blocking was more consistent than in the last game. Again, power and physicality are his strong suits. He almost took out coach Mike Shanahan in the fourth quarter because he drove CB Aaron Ross at least five yards back and onto the Redskins‘ sideline. Shanahan scrambled to safety along with several others around him. There are at least a dozen examples of quality lead blocks. In the first quarter, RB Roy Helu got six yards around the left edge behind Young, who engaged LB Mathias Kiwanuka.

Young wasn’t perfect, though. LB Chase Blackburn beat him on the opening kickoff to make the tackle. He ran into RG Chris Chester‘s back and never blocked anyone on a 2-yard pitch to the right on Washington’s first touchdown drive. Young didn’t get enough of DE Jason Pierre-Paul to prevent the Giants‘ only sack after Pierre-Paul didn’t hesitate when WR Niles Paul bluffed blocking him. But Young generally executed his blocks and finished them powerfully.

WR JABAR GAFFNEY:Gaffney is positioned to finish the season as the Redskins‘ leading receiver because he runs quality routes. He consistently gets separation on that 15- to 20-yard dig route because he holds the corner at the top of the break by getting in and out of it sharply and at high speed.

Gaffney and QB Rex Grossman have established a reliable connection on that route using play action. It has been working perfectly in recent weeks. The run fake sucks the linebackers up and opens the throwing lane, while Gaffney sharply cuts in to separate from the corner playing with outside leverage. Gaffney makes the corner respect the vertical route by running at him, then puts his foot in the ground and gets back to the inside. Meanwhile, Grossman has the timing down so the ball arrives before the corner can recover. Gaffney ran CB Aaron Ross off for 17-yard gains twice in a span of three plays in the third-quarter.

Gaffney had a 16-yard reception on third-and-16 to extend the Redskins‘ second touchdown drive. He beat rookie CB Prince Amukamara (who later was benched) on a slant, then broke back to the outside around the defender. Gaffney on Tuesday said he caught the pass with a good feel for where Amukamara was because of his peripheral vision. He knew he had running room back to the outside even before the caught the ball.

Gaffney also converted fourth-and-1 on the Redskins‘ first touchdown drive by separating from Amukamara on quick out route. Grossman justifiably trusts Gaffney to win in a one-on-one situation against a rookie. Subtly pushing off with the right arm helps, too. He trails TE Fred Davis by one reception for the team lead, and he is 158 yards away from 1,000 on the season. He’s under contract for next season, too. Considering the price — defensive end Jeremy Jarmon, who didn’t fit in the 3-4 scheme anyway — he’s one of this regime’s best acquisitions.

GASSERS

There are no gassers to give out this week, which surprises me a bit. The Redskins‘ offense played well enough to win comfortably, but it failed to score touchdowns on two of three trips inside the red zone, and it averaged only 3.1 yards per carry. However, there weren’t enough breakdowns or mistakes to offset the positives. That’s progress.

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Rex Grossman is not a great football player, but there is something compelling and immensely watchable about the way he approaches the game.  

Over his nine-year career, Grossman has thrown 56 interceptions and only 52 touchdowns. He has displayed the same type mentality as gun-slinging quarterbacks such as Brett Favre and Jeff George, but always lacked the talent required to achieve success through that style of play.  

One would think that considering his propensity for turning the ball over, which is the reason Mike Shanahan benched him for three games earlier this season, Grossman would show some willingness to adapt, to limit the number of risks he takes during a game. But that simply isn’t the case and probably never will be.   

Consider the first play of Sunday’s game against the New York Giants. The Redskins coaches called a flee flicker for Santana Moss, but the trickery did not fool the Giants defense in the least bit. Corey Webster, who was in coverage, did not bite on the fake and was running with Moss step for step on the play.  

In that situation, most quarterbacks would have simply thrown the ball away. But not Grossman. He assessed the coverage and then chucked the ball in a somewhat nonchalant manner toward Moss’ direction. Webster came up with the interception to no one’s surprise, and Grossman trotted off the field as if nothing had happened.  

Grossman would end up throwing a second interception later in the first quarter on a similarly ill-advised deep throw intended for Jabar Gaffney, but the two interceptions didn’t seem to faze him in the least bit. He continued to fire away with reckless abandon until Kyle Shanahan legislated a more careful offensive approach by calling a disproportionate amount of running plays in the fourth quarter, and his approach ended up paying off.  

The Redskins offense put up 23 points, which was more than enough to outscore an anemic Giants offensive unit whose only touchdown came long after the game’s outcome had been decided.  

Such is Grossman’s approach to quarterbacking. It’s an approach that values instinct over smart decision making and is markedly carefree. Even Grossman’s pitches to running backs often seem to lack any sense of urgency and at times appear somewhat what perilous.  

Grossman is the type of player who is never reluctant to pull the trigger. He has his moments—his accurate passes helped the Redskins convert eight out of 15 third downs against the Giants—but the positive aspects he brings to the football field will never outweigh the negatives.  

Still, I can’t help but be somewhat captivated by Grossman’s unflinching approach to the game. He seems determined to play his way, even if that means he will end up holding a clipboard on the sidelines after this season.  

The irony is that if fellow Redskins quarterback John Beck had showed the same willingness to take risks, he may have been able to retain the starting quarterback job. Beck has a big arm, but in his three starts, he seemed allergic to throwing the ball downfield despite the fact that his receivers were able to get open.  

Beck instead opted to check down on almost every other play, which is why Roy Helu set the Redskins single game record for receptions by catching 14 passes for 105 yards.  

Neither Beck nor Grossman is a viable long-term solution for the Redskins quarterback woes, but there’s no question that the team is a lot more fun to watch when Grossman is under center. For that, I salute him.  

Grossman played an integral part in the Redskins victory over the Giants. Here are four players and groups of players that also made big contributions in Sunday’s win.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — If the New York Giants miss the playoffs once again, they have only themselves and the Washington Redskins to blame.

Rex Grossman threw a touchdown pass and the Redskins put a major hurt on the Giants and their playoff hopes with a dominating 23-10 victory Sunday in a game in which New York showed little desire with much on the line.

“I’m very disappointed in how we played today,” coach Tom Coughlin said after the Giants (7-7) fell a game behind Dallas (8-6) in the NFC East with two games left in the regular season.

“I accept responsibility for it. But I expected to see more – quality execution – and we didn’t get that.”

Surprisingly, Washington (5-9) looked very much like a playoff team in winning for only the second time in 10 games and embarrassing the Giants for the second time this season.

Grossman and the offense held the ball for 35 minutes, while the defense picked off Eli Manning three times and didn’t allow a touchdown until the final minute.

“They had a lot at stake and obviously we didn’t and I’m pleased the way we played,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said.

Coming off an emotional win over Dallas on Sunday night in a game that gave them control of their own destiny, the Giants showed nothing after a couple of early interceptions.

“I didn’t see the passion in us today,” running back Brandon Jacobs said. “We didn’t play well. We disappointed each other and our fans, and we’ve just got to play better. I can’t tell you why.”

The Giants still control their destiny. If they beat the Jets and the Cowboys in their final two games, they will win the division.

The Cowboys play the Philadelphia Eagles next weekend and could wrap up the division if the Giants fall in their rivalry game with the Jets.

“I still have confidence,” Giants defensive captain Justin Tuck said. “We laid an egg today, but I’ve seen us rebound from things like this a lot of times. There’s no quit in our guys. This was kind of an eye-opener. We have to keep the intensity going the whole game, and we didn’t maintain it today.

Washington never trailed in spoiling what the Giants hoped would be another step in their run to the playoffs. The Redskins took the crowd out of the game early, opening a 17-0 lead and they were never threatened.

Grossman threw a 20-yard scoring pass to Santana Moss , Darrel Young scored on a 6-yard run after one of the Redskins’ interceptions and Graham Gano kicked three field goals.

Former Giant and current Redskins defensive tackle Barry Cofield enjoyed spoiling the party hopes of his former teammates.

“A party broke out for us. I’m proud of how we came out and played,” Cofield said, adding Washington has played well in recent weeks.

This loss was the fifth in six games for the Giants, who are in danger of missing the playoffs for the third straight year.

The scenario has been the same each season. New York starts the season quickly and then falters down the stretch, playing some unbelievably bad games with the postseason on the line.

This season it has been another collapse after a stunning win over New England left them at 6-2. They lost four in a row and then last week seemed to grab command again by rallying in the fourth quarter to beat the Cowboys in Dallas.

Again, with the playoffs in their grasp, they came out flat against the Redskins, who had already been eliminated from playoff contention.

Even a couple of gift interceptions by Grossman in the first quarter didn’t help.

Gano gave Washington the lead on its second series with a 36-yard field goal that was set up in part by a 19-yard pass from Donte’ Stallworth on a third-and-12 from the Giants 39.

Grossman, who finished 15 of 24 for 185 yards, pushed the lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter with his TD pass to a wide-open Moss on third-and-8.

If the touchdown had the fans muttering, there was no hiding their feelings minutes later after Oshiomogho Atogwe intercepted a pass that deflected off the hands of running back D.J. Ware and returned it 26 yards to the Giants 41. Nine plays later, Young scored and the fans let the team know it was sick of being let down.

Manning, who finished 23 of 40 for 257 yards, finally got the Giants on the board just before halftime, setting up Lawrence Tynes for a 40-yard field goal.

Instead of gaining momentum, the Giants gave the points right back. DeAngelo Hall made a one-handed interception on the second offensive play of the third quarter. His 26-yard return set up Gano’s 43-yard field goal for a 20-3 lead.

After Tynes missed a 44-yarder on the next series, Gano opened the fourth quarter with a 25-yarder to make it 23-3.

Ahmad Bradshaw scored on a 3-yard run with 33 seconds to play for the Giants’ touchdown.

The Giants were their own worst enemy. Hakeem Nicks dropped what might have been a 54-yard scoring play on their second series on a play in which he got behind the defense and had the pass hit off his facemask as he looked back into the sun.

That’s the way the day was for the Giants, who had only a few faithful fans in the stadium when they scored their touchdown.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — If the
New York Giants
miss the playoffs once again, they have only themselves and the
Washington Redskins
to blame.

Rex Grossman
threw a touchdown pass and the Redskins put a major hurt on the Giants and their playoff hopes with a dominating 23-10 victory
Sunday in a game in which New York showed little desire with much on the line.

“I’m very disappointed in how we played today,” coach Tom Coughlin said after the Giants (7-7) fell a game behind Dallas (8-6)
in the NFC East with two games left in the regular season.

“I accept responsibility for it. But I expected to see more – quality execution – and we didn’t get that.”

Surprisingly, Washington (5-9) looked very much like a playoff team in winning for only the second time in 10 games and embarrassing
the Giants for the second time this season.

Grossman and the offense held the ball for 35 minutes, while the defense picked off
Eli Manning
three times and didn’t allow a touchdown until the final minute.

“They had a lot at stake and obviously we didn’t and I’m pleased the way we played,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said.

Coming off an emotional win over Dallas on Sunday night in a game that gave them control of their own destiny, the Giants
showed nothing after a couple of early interceptions.

“I didn’t see the passion in us today,” running back
Brandon Jacobs
said. “We didn’t play well. We disappointed each other and our fans, and we’ve just got to play better. I can’t tell you why.”

The Giants still control their destiny. If they beat the Jets and the Cowboys in their final two games, they will win the
division.

The Cowboys play the
Philadelphia Eagles
next weekend and could wrap up the division if the Giants fall in their rivalry game with the Jets.

“I still have confidence,” Giants defensive captain
Justin Tuck
said. “We laid an egg today, but I’ve seen us rebound from things like this a lot of times. There’s no quit in our guys. This
was kind of an eye-opener. We have to keep the intensity going the whole game, and we didn’t maintain it today.

Washington never trailed in spoiling what the Giants hoped would be another step in their run to the playoffs. The Redskins
took the crowd out of the game early, opening a 17-0 lead and they were never threatened.

Grossman threw a 20-yard scoring pass to
Santana Moss
,
Darrel Young
scored on a 6-yard run after one of the Redskins’ interceptions and
Graham Gano
kicked three field goals.

Former Giant and current Redskins defensive tackle
Barry Cofield
enjoyed spoiling the party hopes of his former teammates.

“A party broke out for us. I’m proud of how we came out and played,” Cofield said, adding Washington has played well in recent
weeks.

This loss was the fifth in six games for the Giants, who are in danger of missing the playoffs for the third straight year.

The scenario has been the same each season. New York starts the season quickly and then falters down the stretch, playing
some unbelievably bad games with the postseason on the line.

This season it has been another collapse after a stunning win over New England left them at 6-2. They lost four in a row and
then last week seemed to grab command again by rallying in the fourth quarter to beat the Cowboys in Dallas.

Again, with the playoffs in their grasp, they came out flat against the Redskins, who had already been eliminated from playoff
contention.

Even a couple of gift interceptions by Grossman in the first quarter didn’t help.

Gano gave Washington the lead on its second series with a 36-yard field goal that was set up in part by a 19-yard pass from
Donte’ Stallworth on a third-and-12 from the Giants 39.

Grossman, who finished 15 of 24 for 185 yards, pushed the lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter with his TD pass to a wide-open
Moss on third-and-8.

If the touchdown had the fans muttering, there was no hiding their feelings minutes later after
Oshiomogho Atogwe
intercepted a pass that deflected off the hands of running back D.J. Ware and returned it 26 yards to the Giants 41. Nine
plays later, Young scored and the fans let the team know it was sick of being let down.

Manning, who finished 23 of 40 for 257 yards, finally got the Giants on the board just before halftime, setting up
Lawrence Tynes
for a 40-yard field goal.

Instead of gaining momentum, the Giants gave the points right back.
DeAngelo Hall
made a one-handed interception on the second offensive play of the third quarter. His 26-yard return set up Gano’s 43-yard
field goal for a 20-3 lead.

After Tynes missed a 44-yarder on the next series, Gano opened the fourth quarter with a 25-yarder to make it 23-3.

Ahmad Bradshaw
scored on a 3-yard run with 33 seconds to play for the Giants’ touchdown.

The Giants were their own worst enemy.
Hakeem Nicks
dropped what might have been a 54-yard scoring play on their second series on a play in which he got behind the defense and
had the pass hit off his facemask as he looked back into the sun.

That’s the way the day was for the Giants, who had only a few faithful fans in the stadium when they scored their touchdown.

NOTES: Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul followed his NFC defensive player of the week award with a 16-tackle performance that included
a sack. …Giants DE
Osi Umenyiora
(knee) and C
David Baas
(neck) each missed their third straight game. …
London Fletcher
led the Skins with 12 tackles. …CB
Josh Wilson
had Washington’s other interception, picking off Manning in the end zone in the fourth quarter. …CB
Corey Webster
and S
Kenny Phillips
had the Giants interceptions.

© 2011 STATS LLC

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Pulling off the improbable, the Washington Redskins went up to MetLife Stadium and overcame an ugly start against the NFC East-leading New York Giants to come away with a 23-10 victory Sunday afternoon.

It was the Redskins’ fifth win and, in beating the Giants for a second time this season, Washington registered the first sweep of its division rival since 1999.

“The Giants, they’ve really been our nemesis around here the last five years,” said Redskins linebacker London Fletcher, whose team had fallen to New York nine of the last 10 games entering this season. “To sweep them, it means a lot, because they’re a well-coached football team.”

With quarterback Rex Grossman
turning in a shaky performance, the Redskins relied heavily on their defense. Washington intercepted Giants quarterback Eli Manning three times, winning the turnover battle for the first time all season.

And when Manning went to work in the final quarter — aiming for his seventh fourth-quarter comeback victory of the season — the Redskins twice denied the Giants in the shadow of their own end zone.

Manning finished the game 23 for 40 for 257 yards and no touchdowns. Ahmad Bradshaw led New York in rushing with 10 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown.

Grossman connected on 15 of 24 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown but threw two interceptions. Roy Helu’s streak of three 100-yard rushing games came to an end as the rookie picked up 53 yards on 23 carries while Evan Royster added 36 yards on 10 carries. Jabar Gaffney led Washington with six catches for 85 yards.

“You feel good about the way they played,” Coach Mike Shanahan said of his team, which had lost two straight and last week fell short in a last-second bid to upset the New England Patriots. “I was really disappointed that we couldn’t close the door last week. . . . So to finish the way we did today was nice.”

Washington’s first defining goal-line stand came three minutes into the fourth quarter. After the Redskins extended their lead to 23-3 with 14 minutes 57 seconds left, the Giants finally started showing signs of life. Manning completed four straight passes to march his team to the Redskins 13-yard line.

But on his fifth pass attempt, Manning’s fortunes changed. Redskins cornerback Josh Wilson made a leaping catch in the end zone for an interception and touchback. It was Wilson’s second interception of the season, and his second straight game with a pick.

The Redskins’ defense answered the bell again later in the fourth quarter. Wilson made a strong tackle to deny Giants running back D.J. Ware as he caught a pass and tried to cross the goal line. Initially, the officials ruled the play a touchdown. But a review showed that Ware had bobbled the ball at the line and didn’t secure possession until Wilson wrestled him back the 2.

With the Giants facing fourth and goal from there, Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo rushed from the edge and drew a holding call from tackle David Diehl, backing the Giants up to the 12-yard line. New York tried for a touchdown on the next play, but rookie linebacker Ryan Kerrigan sacked Manning to deny the Giants and register Washington’s first sack of the game.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — If the
New York Giants
miss the playoffs once again, they have only themselves and the
Washington Redskins
to blame.

Rex Grossman
threw a touchdown pass and the Redskins put a major hurt on the Giants and their playoff hopes with a dominating 23-10 victory
Sunday in a game in which New York showed little desire with much on the line.

“I’m very disappointed in how we played today,” coach Tom Coughlin said after the Giants (7-7) fell a game behind Dallas (8-6)
in the NFC East with two games left in the regular season.

“I accept responsibility for it. But I expected to see more – quality execution – and we didn’t get that.”

Surprisingly, Washington (5-9) looked very much like a playoff team in winning for only the second time in 10 games and embarrassing
the Giants for the second time this season.

Grossman and the offense held the ball for 35 minutes, while the defense picked off
Eli Manning
three times and didn’t allow a touchdown until the final minute.

“They had a lot at stake and obviously we didn’t and I’m pleased the way we played,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said.

Coming off an emotional win over Dallas on Sunday night in a game that gave them control of their own destiny, the Giants
showed nothing after a couple of early interceptions.

“I didn’t see the passion in us today,” running back
Brandon Jacobs
said. “We didn’t play well. We disappointed each other and our fans, and we’ve just got to play better. I can’t tell you why.”

The Giants still control their destiny. If they beat the Jets and the Cowboys in their final two games, they will win the
division.

The Cowboys play the
Philadelphia Eagles
next weekend and could wrap up the division if the Giants fall in their rivalry game with the Jets.

“I still have confidence,” Giants defensive captain
Justin Tuck
said. “We laid an egg today, but I’ve seen us rebound from things like this a lot of times. There’s no quit in our guys. This
was kind of an eye-opener. We have to keep the intensity going the whole game, and we didn’t maintain it today.

Washington never trailed in spoiling what the Giants hoped would be another step in their run to the playoffs. The Redskins
took the crowd out of the game early, opening a 17-0 lead and they were never threatened.

Grossman threw a 20-yard scoring pass to
Santana Moss
,
Darrel Young
scored on a 6-yard run after one of the Redskins’ interceptions and
Graham Gano
kicked three field goals.

Former Giant and current Redskins defensive tackle
Barry Cofield
enjoyed spoiling the party hopes of his former teammates.

“A party broke out for us. I’m proud of how we came out and played,” Cofield said, adding Washington has played well in recent
weeks.

This loss was the fifth in six games for the Giants, who are in danger of missing the playoffs for the third straight year.

The scenario has been the same each season. New York starts the season quickly and then falters down the stretch, playing
some unbelievably bad games with the postseason on the line.

This season it has been another collapse after a stunning win over New England left them at 6-2. They lost four in a row and
then last week seemed to grab command again by rallying in the fourth quarter to beat the Cowboys in Dallas.

Again, with the playoffs in their grasp, they came out flat against the Redskins, who had already been eliminated from playoff
contention.

Even a couple of gift interceptions by Grossman in the first quarter didn’t help.

Gano gave Washington the lead on its second series with a 36-yard field goal that was set up in part by a 19-yard pass from
Donte’ Stallworth on a third-and-12 from the Giants 39.

Grossman, who finished 15 of 24 for 185 yards, pushed the lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter with his TD pass to a wide-open
Moss on third-and-8.

If the touchdown had the fans muttering, there was no hiding their feelings minutes later after
Oshiomogho Atogwe
intercepted a pass that deflected off the hands of running back D.J. Ware and returned it 26 yards to the Giants 41. Nine
plays later, Young scored and the fans let the team know it was sick of being let down.

Manning, who finished 23 of 40 for 257 yards, finally got the Giants on the board just before halftime, setting up
Lawrence Tynes
for a 40-yard field goal.

Instead of gaining momentum, the Giants gave the points right back.
DeAngelo Hall
made a one-handed interception on the second offensive play of the third quarter. His 26-yard return set up Gano’s 43-yard
field goal for a 20-3 lead.

After Tynes missed a 44-yarder on the next series, Gano opened the fourth quarter with a 25-yarder to make it 23-3.

Ahmad Bradshaw
scored on a 3-yard run with 33 seconds to play for the Giants’ touchdown.

The Giants were their own worst enemy.
Hakeem Nicks
dropped what might have been a 54-yard scoring play on their second series on a play in which he got behind the defense and
had the pass hit off his facemask as he looked back into the sun.

That’s the way the day was for the Giants, who had only a few faithful fans in the stadium when they scored their touchdown.

NOTES: Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul followed his NFC defensive player of the week award with a 16-tackle performance that included
a sack. …Giants DE
Osi Umenyiora
(knee) and C
David Baas
(neck) each missed their third straight game. …
London Fletcher
led the Skins with 12 tackles. …CB
Josh Wilson
had Washington’s other interception, picking off Manning in the end zone in the fourth quarter. …CB
Corey Webster
and S
Kenny Phillips
had the Giants interceptions.

© 2011 STATS LLC