Giants at Redskins first look: Redskins reeling, while Giants have been rising

The landscape can change rapidly in the NFL, and this Sunday’s Week 14 matchup at FedEx Field between the New York Giants and Washington Redskins is a prime example.

A few short weeks ago, when the Redskins came into MetLife Stadium and defeated the Giants 20-13, that dropped the Giants to 1-7. Washington was 5-2, en route to a 6-3 start that had them looking like a surprising, yet serious, threat to win the NFC East.

Now, the Giants (3-8) have won three of four. They may be all but mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, but they enter the week feeling like a team making progress.

The Redskins? They have lost four of five since that late October meeting with the Giants, including three straight. They have also lost two quarterbacks — Alex Smith and Colt McCoy — to broken legs. Smith is out for the year and perhaps longer. McCoy might be able to return if the Redskins somehow reach the playoffs. Reeling as they are, though, and with a guy at quarterback — Mark Sanchez — who has only been with the team three weeks, it’s hard to see that happening.

The Giants are currently 3.5-point favorites. It’s a line that has swung from Washington being a 1-point favorite before McCoy’s injury to the Giants being favored by as many as 4 points.

Numbers that matter

94 — Odell Beckham Jr. is the first player in 94 years to record multiple games with a touchdown pass and a receiving touchdown in a single season. Eddie Kaw and Benny Boynton of the 1924 Buffalo Bisons are the only players to previously accomplish the feat.

46 — Saquon Barkley (954) needs 46 rushing yards to become the first Giants’ running back to surpass 1,000 yards since since Ahmad Bradshaw (1,015 yards — 2012). No Giants’ rookie has ever run for 1,000 yards. Barkley has already broken Tuffy Leemans franchise record for rookie rushing yards (830 — 1936).

300 — Eli Manning (296) needs four completions to reach 300 completed passes for the 10th straight season.

55,000 — Manning (54,945) needs 55 yards passing to become the seventh quarterback in NFL history to reach 55,000 yards. Drew Brees - 73,580, Peyton Manning - 71,940, Brett Favre - 71,838, Tom Brady - 69,190 & Dan Marino - 61,361, Ben Roethlisberger - 55,010 are the others.

Mailbag Questions?

Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Have questions about the Giants? E-mail them to bigblueview@gmail.com, and the best ones will be answered in an upcoming mailbag. Thanks!

400 — Odell Beckham Jr. (390) needs 10 receptions (390) over the next four games (59) to become the fastest player in NFL history with 400 receptions (Jarvis Landry & Julio Jones - 64 games).

444 — Saquon Barkley (1,556) needs 444 scrimmage yards to become the third rookie in NFL history to record 2,000 in a season. The others are Eric Dickerson - 2,212, L.A. Rams 1983 (1,808 rushing, 404 receiving) and Edgerrin James - 2,139, Indianapolis Colts, 1999 (1,553 rushing, 586 receiving).

3.0 — B.J. Hill’s three-sack game Sunday vs. the Chicago Bears was the first three-sack performance by a Giants’ rookie since Philip Tabor in 1979.

33 — The amazing Adrian Peterson, 33, on Monday became the oldest player in NFL history with a touchdown run of 90 yards.

41 — The number of times Manning has been sacked this year, the most in his career. His previous season-high was 39 in 2013. Manning has been sacked an even 400 times in his career, the 16th quarterback in NFL history to be sacked at least 400 times.

[E-mail Ed at bigblueview@gmail.com or via the Big Blue View Contact Page | Follow Big Blue View on Twitter | ‘Like’ Big Blue View on Facebook | Follow Big Blue View on Instagram]