Take dysfunctional Giants to deliver win, cover vs. Redskins
The only team in NFL history to blow double-digit fourth-quarter leads in their first two games, the New York Giants will try to avoid falling to 0-3 today against a Washington Redskins squad coming off an upset of the St. Louis Rams.
“I call this a battle of dysfunctional teams,” said Jimmy Vaccaro, oddsmaker for the South Point. “Last week, the Redskins were a huge game for the books in Nevada. They stepped up to the plate. The Giants, I think, are ready for Dr. Phil.
“If you had to pick somebody in a game like that, you’re better off taking the points.”
The Giants opened as 4-point home favorites over the Redskins but the line has since dropped to 3 at several Las Vegas sports books in advance of today’s “Thursday Night Football” game (5:25 p.m., CBS (8), NFLN (317)). The total is between 44 and 44½ points around town.
Despite money coming in on the Redskins, who are still getting 3½ points at the South Point and a few other places, handicapper Bruce Marshall of The Gold Sheet (goldsheet.com) is siding with New York, which has won and covered its last four meetings with Washington.
“I need more evidence of the Redskins. I still have questions about them,” said Marshall, 2-2 against the spread in this space. “They’re going to have to run. They ran well last week and took a lot of pressure off (quarterback Kirk) Cousins. That’s key for him as he’s prone to make lot of mistakes. The Giants have been stopping the run pretty well. They should be 2-0, but there’s been some poor time management and play calling late with leads.
“I still think the Giants could be a factor this year. They should be 2-0 right now. I think they will turn it around.”
New York quarterback Eli Manning is 15-6 vs. the ‘Skins in his career and the Giants have won six of their last seven against Washington at home, where they’ve covered 10 of their last 15 as favorites.
“Unless their season goes completely off the rails, this should be a bounce back for the Giants,” Marshall said. “They’ve shown enough to warrant support one more time. (Coach Tom) Coughlin is signed through next year, but if they flop this year, I don’t think he will coach next year.
“There’s a lot on the line for a lot of people (with the Giants). It’s the same for (Redskins coach Jay) Gruden, but the Giants are more likely to make a run and it should start tonight.”
If it doesn’t, look for Manning and Coughlin on the next episode of Dr. Phil.