NFL Thursday Night football: Giants look to extend winning ways vs. Redskins
New York's oldest pro football team has a sizable victory cushion over the years against their Thursday night opponent from our nation's capital.
Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) and wide receiver DeSean Jackson (11) celebrate Jackson's 81-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sept. 21, 2014.
Eric Hartline, USA TODAY Sports/REUTERS
NFC East division rivals meet in this week's Thursday Night Football matchup. The New York Giants take on their longtime foe, the Washington Redskins. Both teams are 1-2, heading into Week 4 of the NFL season.
A glance at some of the teams' statistics reveal some interesting tidbits. Washington ranks in the top five, league-wide, in both total offense and defense. Yet, they only have the one victory.
Meanwhile, the Giants rank 25th and 22nd, respectively, in offense and defense. They played well last Sunday, beating the then-undefeated Houston Texans. Both the Redskins and Giants are chasing the Eagles, who are currently 3-0 and leading the division.
Washington lost starting quarterback Robert Griffin III to an ankle injury in Week 2 versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. Backup Kirk Cousins has come on to play well, completing over 64 percent of his passes, five for touchdowns versus one interception.
Receivers Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson, and Niles Paul all have double digits in receptions with one touchdown catch each.
Former Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning has shown flashes of his old Giants self, getting picked off four times in this year's first three games. Going into this season, Manning has averaged 17 interceptions in each of his prior ten years. However, Manning is 13-6 all time against the Redskins.
The Giants offense is starting to get on track. Running back Rashad Jennings gained 176 yards on 34 carries, while wide receiver Victor Cruz caught five passes for 107 yards and a touchdown last Sunday against the Texans.
Looking back, New York won both divisional games last season. Washington last defeated the Giants near the end of the 2012 season. In the history of this series, including playoffs, the Giants have won 95 games to 65 for Washington. There have been four ties.
The two teams set the NFL record for most points scored in a regular season game when they met on November 27, 1966, in Washington. The Redskins rolled to a 72-41 victory over the Giants. 16 touchdowns were scored, according to The New York Times, nine on plays of 30 yards or more.
You can watch the Redskins take on the Giants at 8 p.m. Eastern Thursday on both CBS and the NFL Network.