The season opener could have been more exciting, although for Giants fans, I'm sure it was exciting enough, as the Giants defeated the Redskins 16-7.Let the over-reactions begin.
Heading into the game, many people had started dismissing not only the Giants returning to the Super Bowl, but even the playoffs. With the many losses on the defense, it was important to see how the defense would play, and they looked pretty good. The Redskins never were able to get a consistent passing game, and Clinton Portis was limited in their effectiveness. The Giants were able to get a lot of yards offensively, as Brandon Jacobs ran wild, Plaxico Burress caught every pass in sight, and the offensive line overpowered the Washington defense.
Of course, this means that many of those downing the Giants will instantly flip flop back to the Giants being great, but not all was positive in the win. Despite many yards gained, they still only managed 16 points, and Washington's offense looked more bad than the Giants.
And many of those who had high expectations for the Redskins will be concerned. The D gave up many yards, and the offense just seemed lost, and new coach Jim Zorn's playcall was mediocre at best. They kept going to ineffective short passes, and the runs were predictable. Of course, I'm sure many will already be calling for Zorn's head.
But what does this game really mean for these two teams?
It means the Giants are 1-0, and the Redskins are 0-1.
After the first games, we always tend to over-react. And while you can learn things from the first game, we must remember, that in one game, anything can happen. It usually takes 3-5 weeks before you really have a good idea of what each team will bring.
In the end, it's a win for the Giants and a loss for the Redskins. One down, 15 more to go.
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