Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.sports From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Four keys to decide Redskins vs. Giants Date: Sun, 1 Nov 92 20:06:09 EST Message-ID: \SE C;SPORTS;BEFORE THE SNAP \HD Four keys to decide Redskins vs. Giants \BY Dan Daly \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES It has taken half a season, but the Washington Redskins finally get to play their old nemeses tonight, the New York Giants. The Giants (3-4) aren't aging well and desperately need a victory to keep their playoff hopes alive, but they're still the Giants, a team that owned the Redskins (7-2) from 1986-90. The game figures to come down to four main matchups - the Redskins' defensive line vs. the Giants' offensive line, Redskins middle linebacker Kurt Gouveia vs. Giants running backs, Redskins offensive tackle Mo Elewonibi vs. Giants outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor and Redskins receiver Gary Clark vs. Giants cornerbacks. A closer look: * Redskins' defensive line vs. Giants' offensive line: There's nothing subtle about the Giants' offense. They just pound away at you with their extra-large line until you crack. Last week they ran 41 times for 176 yards and threw nine times for a net of 85. They're third in the league in rushing. The Redskins haven't faced anybody like that before, and it could pose some problems for them. They're not huge up front. Individual matchup to watch: Jumbo Elliott, the Giants' 300-plus-pound left tackle, vs. Fred Stokes, the Redskins' 274-pound end. * Gouveia vs. Giants RBs Rodney Hampton and Jarrod Bunch: The Redskins brought in Matt Millen last year to plug the middle against power teams like the Giants. Now Millen is a TV talking head, and Gouveia has to do the dirty work. He's a former outside linebacker, 30 pounds lighter than Millen, and it remains to be seen whether he's built to take the beating. Bunch, the Giants' fullback and lead blocker, outweighs him 248 to 228. This could be verrry interesting. * Elewonibi vs. Taylor: Elewonibi's matchup is a key one every week because he's so raw - and because the left tackle position is so crucial because it protects Rypien's blind side. This will be his first up-close look at The Great LT. Taylor isn't the offense-wrecking pass-rusher he once was. He didn't make the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career last season and has a modest three sacks this year. But Mo's no Jim Lachey, either. (Don't forget to bid LT a fond farewell. This figures to be his final appearance at RFK.) * Clark vs. Giants CBs Mark Collins and Perry Williams: Clark has always played well against the Giants, and last season he burned them for four touchdowns in two games. Three of the TDs measured 50 yards or longer. (He also dropped a long one when he was wide open.) One of his victims, Everson Walls, is gone, but Collins and Williams are still around. Rookie corner Phillippi Sparks, who had his first interception last Sunday, may be of some help to the Giants. Other areas worth your attention: * Redskins trainer Bubba Tyer vs. fate: It's already been a bad year for injuries for the Redskins, and there are still nine weeks to go. The most alarming thing is that the injuries keep happening at the same positions - first offensive line, then defensive tackle and last week linebacker. The Redskins were so strapped for 'backers against Minnesota they had to throw Tony Barker in when Monte Coleman got his bell rung. How many times will we see Tyer on the field tonight? That may tell you a lot about how the game is going. * Giants coach Ray Handley vs. his own team: If the Giants don't win this one, their season is over. They'll be 3-5, they'll still have six tough games left (two vs. Philadelphia, one each vs. Dallas, the Redskins and Kansas City, plus a visit to Denver) and it could get ugly - if not during the game, on the sideline, then afterward, in the locker room. Can Handley, who's not exactly beloved by the players, hold things together in such a situation, or will total anarchy ensue? The score: If the Giants play like they did against the Los Angeles Rams two weeks ago (a 38-17 loss), this could be a blowout for the Redskins. But if the Giants run the ball as well as they did last week against Seattle (a 23-10 victory), the game could be much, much closer. Given the Redskins' offensive woes, look for the latter, something along the lines of: Redskins 23, Giants 16. ***** REDSKINS VS. GIANTS Tonight, 8, RFK Stadium, Ch. 7, TNT cable, AM-570, AM-1090, FM-103.5, Redskins favored by 10 1/2 This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM