Giants at Redskins first look: Draft implications are the biggest story line

For a late-season game between two teams who, let’s be real here — stink — Sunday’s New York Giants vs. Washington Redskins matchup carries a fair amount of intrigue.

Most of that is about the draft.

The Giants’ victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday was a well-deserved feel-good moment for Eli Manning. It also, though, added a lot of intrigue to the potential draft order behind the 1-13 Cincinnati Bengals, who are all but certain to get the No. 1 pick and select LSU quarterback Joe Burrow.

The 3-11 Giants still have the No. 2 pick by virtue of the .473 winning percentage of their opponents. The Redskins and Dolphins are also 3-11, the Detroit Lions are 3-10-1 and the Arizona Cardinals are 4-9-1. So, there could be a lot of shuffling yet among the teams at 2-6.

I’m one who doesn’t obsess about the draft order. It’s pretty much universally accepted that the Giants would take Ohio State defensive end Chase Young if they get the No. 2 pick. The world won’t end, though, if the Giants happen to play themselves out of that second overall pick.

Still, there are a fair amount of folks who will argue that the Giants would win by losing on Sunday.

Jones vs. Haskins?

If Daniel Jones, who has missed the last two games with a high ankle sprain, is ready we will get the first career matchup as starting quarterbacks between Jones and Dwayne Haskins.

Jones (No. 6 overall) and Haskins (No. 15) were the second and third quarterbacks taken in the draft behind Kyler Murray. There were so many analysts who preferred Haskins to Jones that the two are likely to always be linked and compared.

Jones’ career got off to more of a storybook beginning, with wins in his first two starts. Eight straight losses and an injury have dampened that.

Haskins was seemingly unwanted by former Washington coach Jay Gruden. With Bill Callahan now serving as interim coach Haskins ha snow started six games. Last Sunday vs. the Philadelphia Eagles (19 of 28, 261 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs) was his best game.

Front office/coaching intrigue

Callahan seems unlikely to get the long-term coaching gig in Washington. Team President Bruce Allen is perennially under fire, yet somehow has managed to keep that job since 2010 while the Redskins have had just one winning season.

We know that Giants coach Pat Shurmur and GM Dave Gettleman could be out at season’s end. So, these are two teams with questions about who is going to be making the decisions once this season ends.

Will anyone be watching?

Long-time friend and D.C. area sports writer Rick Snider told me this week that the Redskins have spent the season playing in front of more opposing fans than Redskins fans at FedEx Field. Since Giants haven’t haven’t exactly been flocking to games in recent weeks I’m curious how big Sunday’s crowd will be, and whether it will feature more New York or Washington fans.