Singling out the moment that started the Washington Redskins’ weeks-long run at rock-bottom is hard to do, but September 29th might be the most logical date.
It was almost three months ago that the Redskins and New York Giants faced off for the first time in the 2019 season. A 24-3 loss — accompanied by three interceptions from rookie QB Dwayne Haskins — left Washington with an 0-4 record, and coach Jay Gruden was just a week away from being shown the door. Since then, things have picked up a little bit for the Redskins, and though they aren’t by any means a good football team, they have at least shown some improvement.
Ahead of this Week 16 rematch between NFC East divisional foes, we caught up with Dan Benton, the managing editor for USA TODAY’s Giants Wire to preview the matchup, and swap stories from two disappointing seasons. Here’s our conversation:
Redskins Wire: For the first time in what hopefully becomes a long rivalry, we get to watch Daniel Jones vs. Dwayne Haskins. Who do you think will come out on top and have the better day as a rookie quarterback?
Dan Benton: That’s an interesting question because I can see this game playing out a multitude of ways. Dwayne Haskins will have the opportunity to feast on a very poor Giants defense that is now without cornerback Janoris Jenkins, so it’s possible he puts up some early career-best numbers. Additionally, Daniel Jones has missed the past two weeks recovering from a high ankle sprain, so rust is entirely possible. He may also have his mobility limited a bit due to that injury, so based on the scenario, I think Haskins will probably have the better game. And I would mention why that’s a good thing, but I’ll save that for the next question…
RW: Neither team has had a particularly successful season, and both would largely benefit from losing this game, as it would greatly aid their position in the draft order for 2020. Do you think that we’ll see any hint of that on the field, or do you expect both teams to be playing for the win on Sunday?
DB: I played football from Junior High School through Semi-Pro and have been covering the NFL since 2003, and over that span, I’ve never once encountered an athlete who was willing to lose a game or intentionally throw a play in the hopes of losing. That’s not to say it hasn’t been done, but as I am sure you can also attest, anyone who has experienced the competitiveness of the game of football knows it’s 100% max effort 100% of the time. Not only is it dangerous for players to scale it down, but it’s also just not how their DNA is written. And while a loss would benefit both the Giants and Redskins, I have to believe (and would be willing to bet) they both go out there on Sunday and do literally everything they can to experience a winning locker room.
RW: Though the Redskins are usually the king of a quarterback controversy, the Giants have been flopping between Manning and Jones this season, though it’s had more to do with injury than anything. With Jones back under center, do you expect any aspects of New York’s offense to return to form?
DB: I think that “return to form” may not necessarily be a good thing for these Giants. That’s not intended as a knock on Daniel Jones, but even in the first two weeks of the season, the Giants offense was more functional with Eli Manning under center and that really had to do with his experience. While Jones is more mobile and willing to air it out, he doesn’t have the wealth of knowledge Manning does. As a result, Jones isn’t free to adjust plays at the line of scrimmage based on what he’s seeing and he also doesn’t yet have the wherewithal to readjust and call out protections, which is an area Manning excels. As a result, Saquon Barkley and the offensive line have struggled substantially more under Jones than Manning, and I imagine we see that again on Sunday. That will change with time and experience, but for now (and as hard as it may be for some to admit), the offense is less functional under Jones than it is under Manning.
RW: This isn’t a question about the Redskins-Giants game this weekend, but rather something I’ve wanted to ask you since we last talked in Week 4. Odell Beckham Jr.; how are Giants fans feeling now? Vindicated? Exuberant? Sympathetic? The floor is yours…
DB: I am not going to lie… A large smile crossed my face as I read this question. I never wish ill on any NFL players and want them all to experience success because I know firsthand what goes into their craft, but when it comes to Odell… I don’t know, there’s just something about that entire situation I find some level of joy in. But before I go down that road, I want to say that I had gotten to know OBJ a bit over the years and as a person, he’s as good as it gets. He genuinely and truly is a well-intentioned guy who just wants to win. However, that often manifests itself in really bizarre and dramatic ways that become tiring and unintentionally detrimental to a team. Moreover, his subtle trash-talking of Eli Manning was completely out of line, so seeing him suffer through a career-worst season feels somewhat warranted. I’m sure GM Dave Gettleman feels similarly after the insane amount of heat he received for dealing Beckham. Hopefully, this humbles Beckham and helps him realize that he’s the common denominator in all of these dramatic situations.
RW: The game on Sunday could accurately be named ‘The Chase Young Bowl,’ as the winner of this matchup is likely to be terrorized by the generational talent out of Ohio State for years to come. Of course, drafting him is not a foregone conclusion. I have a good feeling about the answer for the Redskins, but if the Giants had a chance to take Young, is there any chance they pass on him?
DB: None. I legitimately can not envision a scenario in which the Giants were to pass on Young if he were available. The team’s primary need is an elite edge rusher and there are none better than Young coming out of college in 2020. I’m sure Gettleman & Co. will give some level of consideration to the top left tackles, but when push comes to shove, you can’t pass on Young. As Gettleman has said the past two seasons, when you pick in the top 5, you have to take someone with Hall of Fame potential. And Young absolutely fits that bill.
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