Giants Will Try To Keep Playoff Hopes Alive Tonight Against Redskins

With six losses in their last eight games, the once 5-0 New York Giants look to keep their playoff hopes intact tonight when they square off against their longtime NFC East rival, the Washington Redskins, on Monday Night Football. The Giants are favored by three points against a Redskins team that has shown a great deal of perseverance and resiliency over their last five games. The two teams faced each other in the opening weekend of the 2009 regular season when the Giants won 23-17.

The Redskins lost to three playoff teams, Dallas, Philadelphia and New Orleans, by a combined seven points during the aforementioned five-game span and their once lifeless offense has been clicking on all cylinders thanks to the emergence of 2008 second round draft picks Devin Thomas and Fred Davis. Their defense has also been playing quite well and it is a unit that has been spearheaded by 2009 first round selection Brian Orakpo, who has recorded 11 sacks on the year.

The Giants have been reeling over the past two months due to consistently inadequate performances by a defense that has been exposed by high powered offenses. The defense was so atrocious last Sunday against Philadelphia that the Giants lost by seven points despite the fact that the offense managed to score 38 points while accumulating over 500 total yards. The Giants play on the road tonight, where they have lost their last three games by a point differential of 50-114.