Monday Night Football Season 19 Episode 1 Washington Redskins at New York Giants
- September 5, 1988
The season premiere of Monday Night Football is here, and it's a doozy. Two NFC East rivals face off in this highly anticipated match-up, as the Washington Redskins travel to New York to take on the Giants at MetLife Stadium. Both teams are coming off of mediocre seasons and are looking to make a statement early on in the year. This game is sure to be a battle, as both teams have a lot to prove.
The Redskins are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 7-9 season in 2018. Led by veteran quarterback Case Keenum, they'll look to establish the run and control the clock against a Giants defense that struggled mightily last season. Running back Adrian Peterson will be the focal point of the offense, as he looks to build on a solid 2018 campaign. The Redskins will also rely heavily on their defense, which was ranked 17th in the NFL last season. With the likes of Ryan Kerrigan and Josh Norman leading the way, they'll look to get after Giants quarterback Eli Manning early and often.
Speaking of Manning, the Giants are a team in transition. After an abysmal 5-11 season in 2018, they drafted Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the sixth overall pick in the draft. However, Manning will still be the starter for this game, as the Giants look to ease Jones into the starting role. The Giants offense will rely heavily on running back Saquon Barkley, who was a bright spot in an otherwise dark season for the Giants in 2018. Wide receiver Sterling Shepard will also be a key piece of the offense, as will tight end Evan Engram. On defense, the Giants will look to improve upon a unit that was ranked 24th in the NFL last season. Linebacker Alec Ogletree will be a key player to watch, as will rookie defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
This game has a lot of storylines to follow, but perhaps the most intriguing is the matchup between the two quarterbacks. Keenum is a journeyman quarterback who had a solid season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2017, but struggled last year with the Denver Broncos. Manning, on the other hand, is a two-time Super Bowl champion who has been a fixture in the Giants lineup for over a decade. Both quarterbacks will be looking to make a statement in this game, as they try to prove that they are still capable of leading their teams to victory.
Another interesting storyline in this game is the matchup between Peterson and Barkley. Peterson is a future Hall of Famer who has been one of the best running backs in the NFL for over a decade. Barkley, on the other hand, is a young up-and-coming superstar who burst onto the scene in his rookie season last year. Both running backs will be looking to make an impact in this game, as they try to establish their teams' running game.
Overall, this game has all the makings of a classic NFC East matchup. Both teams are looking to prove themselves early in the season, and both have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. It's sure to be a physical game, with plenty of big hits and hard-fought yards. So grab some snacks, settle in, and get ready for some Monday Night Football.