Monday Night Football Season 20 Episode 1 New York Giants at Washington Redskins
- September 11, 1989
It's a new season of Monday Night Football and expectations are high for both the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins as they meet in week one of the 20th season of this widely popular show.
The Giants are coming off a disappointing season in which they posted a 5-11 record and failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive year. However, they had a strong draft and added some key pieces in free agency, so there is optimism that this could be a bounce-back year for them.
Meanwhile, the Redskins are looking to build on their 7-9 record last season and push for a playoff spot. They have a new quarterback in Alex Smith, who was acquired in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs. Smith is an experienced veteran who should provide stability and leadership to a team that has struggled to find consistent play at the quarterback position in recent years.
Both teams have a lot to prove in this matchup and it should be a highly competitive game.
On offense, the Giants will be led by veteran quarterback Eli Manning. Manning is coming off a subpar season in which he threw for just 19 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, but he has a track record of success and should be motivated to bounce back this year. He will have some new weapons at his disposal, including running back Saquon Barkley, who was drafted with the second overall pick in the NFL draft. Barkley is a dynamic playmaker who can run between the tackles, catch passes out of the backfield, and even return kicks. He should be a major factor in this game.
The Giants also have some talented receivers in Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, and Evan Engram. Beckham missed most of last season with a broken ankle, but he is one of the most explosive and exciting players in the league when healthy. His ability to stretch the field and make acrobatic catches should give the Redskins defense headaches. Shepard and Engram are both young players with a lot of potential and should provide Manning with some reliable targets.
The Redskins offense will be centered around Alex Smith. Smith is not a flashy quarterback, but he is efficient and effective. He rarely turns the ball over and he has proven in the past that he can orchestrate a winning offense. He will be helped by a solid group of running backs, including Adrian Peterson, who was signed in the offseason after spending last year with the Arizona Cardinals and the New Orleans Saints. Peterson is a future Hall of Famer who still has some gas left in the tank. He will be complemented by Chris Thompson, who is a talented dual-threat running back who can contribute in both the running and passing game.
The Redskins also have some talented receivers in Jamison Crowder and Josh Doctson. Crowder is a dynamic slot receiver who can be a threat after the catch. Doctson is a big-bodied receiver who has shown flashes of brilliance but has struggled with injuries and inconsistency.
On defense, the Giants will be led by linebacker Alec Ogletree, who was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams. Ogletree is a tackling machine who should provide some much-needed stability to a defense that struggled last season. The Giants also have some talented players in the secondary, including Janoris Jenkins and Landon Collins. Jenkins is a shutdown corner who can match up with the best receivers in the league. Collins is a hard-hitting safety who can make an impact in both the run and passing game.
The Redskins defense is anchored by Pro Bowl lineman Jonathan Allen, who missed most of last season with a foot injury. He will be joined by fellow lineman Matt Ioannidis and standout linebacker Ryan Kerrigan. The Redskins also have some talented players in the secondary, including Josh Norman and D.J. Swearinger. Norman is one of the best cornerbacks in the league and should be a major factor in this game.
Overall, this game should be an exciting matchup between two teams looking to make a statement in the first week of the season. Both teams have talent on both sides of the ball, so it should come down to execution and which team can make the big plays when it counts.