Yes, the New York Giants are 2-0. Yes, the Washington Redskins are 0-2. And yes, the G-Men have won five of the last six against their division rivals.
But don’t think for a second Big Blue is sleeping on Washington ahead of Sunday’s matchup in Landover, Maryland.
In four of the last five seasons, the top three teams in the competitive NFC East have been separated by just three wins. Every division matchup matters.
Here’s a look at what to watch for Sunday.
Beckham-Norman II
The rematch of last December’s cruiserweight showdown between Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr. and Washington cornerback Josh Norman is a must-watch affair. Last season, when Norman was with the Carolina Panthers, the two alpha dogs were flagged for a combined five personal fouls.
It’s a shame the shenanigans overshadowed a great matchup between All-Pro talents. Beckham actually got the better of Norman, catching six passes for 76 yards and a touchdown in the 38-35 loss.
Hopefully, cooler heads prevail this time and the focus will be on football, not fighting.
Eyes on the sky
No team has thrown more passes this season than Washington, and not just because they’ve played from behind. Kirk Cousins attempted 46 throws in a game his team led entering the fourth quarter.
That should be just fine by Big Blue. The Giants have been thrown on 89 times this season — the same number of attempts by Cousins — but haven’t allowed a gain of more than 23 yards through the air.
The fact that Cousins has tossed three interceptions offers hope the Giants will secure their first pick of the season.
What’s the rush?
At least Washington has had some success on the ground — unlike the Giants.
Big Blue ranks fifth from the bottom in yards per carry (3.16 ypc), in part due to an offensive line that isn’t pulling its weight. But Rashad Jennings (102 yards on 31 carries) hasn’t been effective as Shane Vereen (80 yards on 20 carries), who is better known for his work catching passes.
Jennings is banged up, so it might be a good time to see how Vereen handles a larger volume of rush attempts.
