WPost Email: Giants Look Vulnerable

[MTK]

The Redskins appear to be catching the New York Giants at a vulnerable time this weekend. New York was trounced 31-17 by Philadelphia Sunday in Coach Tom Coughlin's first game with the team and could have a quarterback controversy on the horizon.

Veteran Kurt Warner, a former league most valuable player, was ineffective in his first start with the Giants -- he has lost his last nine starts overall -- and rookie Eli Manning, the first overall pick in the draft, entered the game in the late going. Coughlin said yesterday that Warner will be his starter all season and will continue to get Manning snaps in low-pressure situations, but desperate times could soon lead to desperate measures.

New York lost its ninth straight game dating back to last season Sunday and was scorched for 454 yards. Expectations are low for the Giants this season and the Redskins have an opportunity to wound a divisional opponent at Giants Stadium on Sunday.

Should the Giants start slowly the fans could quickly turn on them, while the players are embroiled in an ugly situation with Coughlin, filing grievances against him in response to recent fines and disciplinary decisions, all the while providing sublime fodder for the tabloids.

"Anytime you lose a game," defensive tackle Brandon Noble said, "especially in a city like New York where the media coverage and everybody is on them with coach Coughlin in there, they're going to come out with their backs against the wall ready to fight."

Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs said of the Giants: "I think they'll play their guts out."

The Redskins are talking much about New York's talent, saying all the right things, but face a depleted offensive line and a suspect defense. Giants receivers Ike Hilliard and Amani Toomer have thrived against Washington before, however, and should the Redskins blitz their safeties as much as they did last week, cornerbacks Fred Smoot and Shawn Springs could have their hands full in single coverage.

"They're two smart receivers," Smoot said. "Two veteran receivers and a veteran quarterback. They've got a lot of talent out there; it's just how soon will they get everything together and get rolling on all cylinders, and we don't want it to happen this week."

Bugel Focusing on the Hike



After three botched exchanges between the quarterback and center on Sunday, Joe Bugel, Washington's assistant head coach-offense, has been emphasizing that aspect of play in practice. Rather than merely walk through drills the ball is being hiked consistently under duress. "We put the center in the toughest blocking situations known to man," Bugel said. . . . Safety Matt Bowen was nominated for NFC defensive player of the week, running back Clinton Portis was nominated for the offensive honor and punter Tom Tupa for special teams, but none won the award. . . . Quarterback Mark Brunell became an NFL starter under Coughlin in Jacksonville and said he has a deep respect for the coach. "He's a great man and a great coach," Brunell said. Coughlin also had much praise for Brunell. "He's a team guy, not an ego guy," Coughlin said. "He can be counted on to say and do the right things literally at all the right times." . . . The Redskins placed practice-squad linebacker Clifton Smith, who had elbow surgery yesterday, on the injured list and signed linebacker Devin Lemons, who participated in training camp, to the practice squad. . . . Cornerback Fred Smoot was bestowed with the special teams hit tick, an ornate wooden cane that special teams coach Danny Smith puts in the locker of one player each week who delivered the most crushing blow in the past game while playing on his units . . . . Gibbs considered traveling by train to New York this weekend but settled on flying to cut down on travel time. . . . Former Redskin Bruce Smith was at Redskins Park yesterday as part of his new job with the NFL Network.

-- By Jason La Canfora

[Riggo44]

I do think we are catching the Giants at a good time. But I am glad to see that Gibbs is still talking about the Giants " playing there gut's out." I don't think Gibbs will let our guy's take the G men to litghty.
Is it sunday yet?? :party

Go Vikings this monday!!

[SUNRA]

Yes sir. We not only are going to beat them while their down but return the favor. The Giants have won five out of seven games against us and it's time we put that to rest. If Coughlin doesn't remind you of Marty Schonheimer. Old Marty came in dissin' Darrell Green and Bruce Smith and turned the team against him. We lost the first five games and then began to play together. Coughlin is a little different. He's doesn't have it in him to change. He will drive his philosophy into the ground like Spurrier's fun and gun bulls***t. I don't see the Giants winning more than five games this year. I'm so glad the laughing and jokes have stopped for a minute. We have an opportunity to bury these bastards and I hope that's we're going to do.

[SUNRA]

On Espn radio in New York, the radio personality asked the question, What is the greatest team rivalry in sports today? He had the nerve to make the Redskins and Giants a rivalry that compares to the Yankees and Red Sox. Where in the hell has he been living for the last 30 years? I guess the Cowboys have been demoted to our second most hated rival.

[SUNRA]

The Giant's are already talking about this game as a must win game. What the hell was last week another preseason game? Tiki Barber mentioned that this game is important because it's a division game. And Philadelphia wasn't? Boy, their in a sad predicament and we know something about the shoes their wearing. Let's beat them on all levels the way we did against the Bucs.

[Shane]

The Giants look vulnerable? Ha ha - I hope the players don't buy that. As soon as some team "appears vulnerable" often they come out ready to rumble. As soon as teams believe stuff like that, they come out and get their hats handed to them.

[MTK]

Gibbs won't let the team buy in to any hype about the Giants being vulnerable (even if there's some truth to it).

He'll have the team ready to be in a dogfight no matter who the opponent is.

[That Guy]

if the giants aren't vulnerable, i don't know who is...

[illdefined]

Miami is more vulnerable. but seriously i hope no one in the locker room approaches this game as a pushover game. we need to build season momentum by dominating, and nothing about this team implies they can dominate without putting in serious effort. not yet anyway.

if something bad happens this year, it wont be the schemes, it wont be the coaches. its all on the players. they are the ones with things to prove. they need to beat the Giants by more than Philly beat em.

[GoSkins!]

Right now I look at the Giants as a wounded animal. They are going to come out fighting hard. Coughlin really wants a win so that all the negative press on him slows down. We need to bring our A game.

[JWsleep]

It's gonna be a war. Don't doubt it. This is the NFC EAST.

[SUNRA]

Yes this a division game. Yes this is our first game away. But let's be reasonable. Shall we? The Giants have been living off of their NFC Championship game against the Vikings. When they were strong athletically, they were weak emotionally. Remember their choker against San Francisco? Oh, let's not forget last year when we took them to overtime when they had us beat early in the fourth quarter.

A lot of sports reporters who are from New York want to see them do well and their wishing on a fallen star. It's pathetic to listen to NY radio and hear them speaking about the running game of Dayne and Barber as real contenders in the NFC. Please. They hope people will make that topic of discussion a topic at lunch I guess. Gregg Williams is a master. He will play Sean Taylor based on the offensive schemes the Giants call. I haven't heard a coach speak about playing guys based on their talent in a long time. Our team will play for their coach and fans. Their team will do the opposite. We will take the fans out of the game from the begining which will bring the boo birds out all day.

[SKINSnCANES]

The Giants really dont have much of a defensive threat this year, we should be able to put up a lot of point on them. I dont knwo if we will though, Gibbs plays very conservatively. I think hes just makign sure he gets a few wins under his belt first before he opens things up. Im hoping by the end of the year we look like the Skins ni 91 where we would put up 35 points a game and out D would always get the shutout!!!!

[GoSkins!]

Gibbs is still getting a feel for things. He knows that he has a dominent defense that won't need to much help, just that the offense doesn't make mistakes. I think that we won't see all that much until he faces Parcell's or the Eagles. I'm sure that he has circled a few of those games on the calander. From everything that he said in the preseason it should be obvious that he is going to hide as much as he can while still doing enough to win each game.

Wait till about week 6 or so and then we will see what our offense really looks like.

[SUNRA]

Go Skins, you are on the money. Gibbs becomes more courageous and creative as the season gets to the end. This is why he is able to call successful trick plays in the playoffs and keep the defense off balance. Most teams were reviewing the counter-tray play in preseason and I don't think Gibbs called it one time against the Bucs. This is the genius of the man. Keep them guessing. I bet Coach Gibbs is very good in chess too.