New York Giants

Washington Redskins: Five Players To Watch Week 3 vs. New York Giants

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Sep 18, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden looks on against the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth quarter at FedEx Field. The Cowboys won 27-23. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Redskins are playing a crucial Week 3 matchup against the New York Giants. Who should you be paying attention to in the game?

The Washington Redskins are entering a Week 3 game against the New York Giants that is a very important game for the team. After beginning the season 0-2, the squad could really use a win to help boost their confidence and get rid of some of the disarray coming out of the locker room.

The Giants are not going to be an easy team to beat. The team has a lot of quality players on both sides of the ball, and they will create some matchups that will give the Redskins headaches. There are going to be some important players that have to step up in this game in order for the Skins to really stand a chance. With that in mind, here is a look at five players to keep an eye on during Sunday’s contest.

Jan 10, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins defensive end Ricky Jean Francois (99) pumps up the crowd from the field prior to the NFC Wild Card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

5. DE Ricky Jean-Francois

Depending on what the Redskins decide to do on defense, Ricky Jean-Francois could end up being a starter for the team. The Redskins lost Kedric Golston to a hamstring injury last week against Dallas, so they need a new starting nose tackle. The two prime candidates for the job are Ziggy Hood and Cullen Jenkins. Hood appears to have the advantage as he moved there following Golston’s injury last week.

As a result of that, Jean-Francois may end up starting in place of Hood at the left end position. Jean-Francois is a solid all-around player, and he is a good run stopper. He may be a two down player at that position with a pass rush threat like Jenkins or Kendall Reyes checking in during passing situations. Still, it would make sense to give the starting job to Jean-Francois, since he really is a jack of all trades.

While I am not sure if Jean-Francois will actually start, I am fairly certain he will have an impact during the game. Expect to see him on the field a fair amount. He will not be a replacement for Golston, but he is still a pretty decent starter.

Sep 18, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins wide receiver Jamison Crowder (80) is unable to make a catch against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

4. WR Jamison Crowder

The Redskins are going to have trouble getting DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon open this week. Janoris Jenkins and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are a very strong cornerback tandem, so they may be able to shut down the top two weapons. Because of this, Jamison Crowder may see a lot of targets and he could have a big game.

The weakness of the Giants defense is in the linebacker unit and at safety. The team has few impact players at these positions so the Redskins may be able to get players open across the middle of the field. Crowder is a candidate to succeed because of his excellent ability to work out of the slot.

Kirk Cousins has shown a strong rapport with Crowder over the past couple of weeks. Crowder has been heavily targeted and he may become Cousins’ favorite receiver. This week in particular, Cousins may end up looking for him because he should be able to get open frequently. If the Redskins have any success in the passing game this coming week, you can almost certainly expect it to run through Crowder first.

Nov 8, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins (99) works out prior to the game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

3. DL Cullen Jenkins

I am listing Cullen Jenkins here for a couple of reasons. The first is that he may see some action at nose tackle this week in the absence of Golston. Jenkins is a savvy veteran who can play every down lineman position, so expect to see him play the nose a bit to fill the void left behind by Golston. Jenkins cannot play every snap given that he is a 12 year veteran, but he should still be able to fare well in a limited role.

The second reason I am listing him is because the Giants are one of his former teams. Jenkins actually played with the Giants most recently, so he may know some of their weaknesses across the offensive line. If he can help the coaching staff expose those, then the defensive line may have a surprising amount of success.

Jenkins is definitely going to see an uptick in playing time, and that could be hugely beneficial to the Redskins this week. They need the veteran to play well and this is really his opportunity to prove that he still has something left in the tank.

Aug 11, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Washington Redskins tackle Morgan Moses (76) prepares for a game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

2. OT Morgan Moses

The defensive line is a major strength for the Giants this year. They have two mammoth tackles in the middle of the unit, while their defensive ends are threatening pass rushers. Olivier Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul are going to keep the Redskins tackles occupied. For this game, Morgan Moses needs to make sure that he performs at a high level in order to protect Cousins.

Moses has enjoyed a good start to his season on the right side of the offensive line. He is really starting to look like a solid right tackle and he may be the second best lineman on the unit at the moment. It is going to be important that he continues to have success on Sunday, as the Redskins need to make the most of every offensive possession that they get. After all, the Giants defense is a strong unit this year.

Overall, this game is about more than just one game for Moses. He needs to string together a good start to the season and really start to reach his full potential. He is in his third year now, and it looks like he is ready to make the leap. If you check him out this week, you may be able to see him continue to grow.

Sep 18, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) is tackled by Washington Redskins outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan (91) during the second half at FedEx Field. The Dallas Cowboys won 27 – 23. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

1. LB Ryan Kerrigan

The Giants offensive line is a major work in progress. They have a lot of youth, but the right side of the unit is made up of mediocre veterans. Most importantly, the right tackle Marshall Newhouse has had trouble during his NFL career at the tackle position. He is really just a backup swing tackle at best, but with him starting the Redskins are going to get a great opportunity.

Ryan Kerrigan is likely to work against Newhouse for a majority of the game. He is a prolific pass rusher who already has 1.5 sacks through two games this season. He has faced much stiffer competition than Newhouse in the previous matchups, and he should have a field day against the veteran.

Newhouse is not going to get a lot of help from guard John Jerry, another below average lineman, so he could surrender a lot of pressure. As a result, Kerrigan may have the biggest impact of any Washington player and he could really disrupt the Giants pass game. If Kerrigan can routinely beat Newhouse in passing situations, then he could rack up some sacks during the game.