Washington ready for Giants

When you go all the way and not win the big one, you’re going to hear about it.

It’s also hard for the one that wins the big one too, because if people don’t think you’re good enough to be considered a “real champion” then they’ll call your win a fluke.

This is what the New York Giants are dealing with. You win it all, work hard to the end and never give up, and you’re hearing that it was all a fluke.

In an interview with Yahoo Sports, it was very vocal.

"I'm not surprised at all," said receiver Plaxico Burress. "Nobody really has a lot of respect for us. Even when we won the Super Bowl, everything was a fluke. (David Tyree) catching the ball on his helmet was a fluke. We go down in the two-minute drive, and it was a fluke. ... I always say to myself, 'We are a group of guys going out and putting everything they have on the football field, and we're not worth anything.' I think it is a real slap in the face for us.”

So, there’s nothing left to do but welcome the Washington Redskins into the new season with a loss. Show why they deserved a hero’s reception and show why Super Bowl XLII will go down as one of the greatest in NFL history.

But that’s all over now. It’s a new season, new challenges, like improving their record that nearly destroyed them last year, and getting off to a comfortable start so that they don’t have to scratch and bite in every game.

And then there are the Redskins, who are ….wait for it…working a West Coast Offense…courtesy of Jim Zorn.

There weren’t too many surprises with the roster cuts but Jason Campbell will start for the Skins Thursday night.

According to www.redskins.com, there are four keys to what will be needed to win against the Giants, but I’ve only picked one: Jason Campbell and his line has to elude the pass rush. It’s imperative, or he’ll get clobbered.

The good thing about the West Coast Offense is that he’ll get that three to four step that he needs in regards to time to throw the ball but he cannot hesitate. This will just mean lost yardage or desperate attempts at forced short yardage.

The call

The first quarter will probably go to the Giants, who will come out over aggressive to kill any early lead dreams by the Redskins. Giants will probably score first to carry their point home with the skins looking to answer only with a field goal at first.

Second quarter will establish both teams in regards to field positions and who will be willing to take it to the opposition. Eli is more poised for this but Campbell could surprise the critics. The West Coast Offense is just what he needs to get going, so it’s going to be interesting how he throws and where, more than likely to his ends and maybe a few down the sidelines.

Second half will be determined by who scores first, which will probably go to NY, but it won’t be one of those ends where the Skins will be blown away, but more of a “hanging in there, and could lead if they worked on it” kind of mode.

Verdict: Skins to win by a touchdown.