Much Has Changed Since Giants-Redskins First Game

The Giants travel to Washington this week in a bid to sweep the season series from their bitter divisional rival. A lot has changed both in the NFL and for these two teams since Week 3, when the Giants whipped Washington 32-21 at MetLife Stadium. Johnny Manziel was second string, then first string, then second string, then first string and now third string. And that’s basically just in the last week.

The quarterback position for the Giants and Washington has been comparatively static, with Eli Manning and Kirk Cousins both ensconced under center. But not everything has remained the same with these two teams since their earlier matchup on Sept. 24. Let’s take a look at Then and Now.

Then: The Giants beat Washington in a Thursday night game.
Now: Thursday games are still the worst.

Then: New York had lost its previous game because of some questionable fourth-quarter clock management.
Now: *Sigh*

Then: Washington fans were freshly digesting the news that the wife of their general manager, Scot McCloughan, had basically accused an ESPN reporter of servicing her husband in exchange for team news.
Now: We wonder how Thanksgiving went at the McCloughans’ house.

Then: We hadn't seen the full extent of the damage to the hand of Jason Pierre-Paul.
Now: Gah, look away!

Then: The Giants were 0-2 and in last place in the NFC East.
Now: The Giants are 5-5 and in first place.

Then: Washington had the league's best rushing attack.
Now: They’re 25th -- just ahead of the Giants -- averaging 95.3 ypg.

Then: Washington was 1-1 and feeling pretty good about themselves after beating the Rams 24-10 on the road.
Now: Washington is 4-6 and just got blown out 44-16 at home against the Panthers.

Then: Robert Griffin III was a potential distraction for Washington.
Now: RGIII seems resigned to being the third-string quarterback.

Then: It was a must-win game for the Giants.
Now: It’d still be a good idea to win this one.

Then: No players on Washington were claiming that referees were calling more penalties on them than other teams because of Washington’s racist team name.
Now: Defensive end Jason Hatcher said after last week’s blowout loss to Panthers that referees have it in for Washington because of their name.

Then: We were hoping Daniel Snyder would dress up as a pilgrim for Thanksgiving and invite some Native Americans over for dinner and announce the team was taking this opportunity to change the team name to the Thundering Turkeys.
Now: Snyder still has no vision.