Giants begin title defense with thumping of Redskins
Plaxico Burress celebrated his fresh two-year contract extension with 10 catches for 133 yards, and the defending-champion New York Giants opened their title defense with a 16-7 victory over NFC East rival Washington.
Burress was Eli Manning's favorite target throughout the night, piling up yards the same day he agreed to a two-year extension through 2012. Manning completed 19-of-35 passes for 216 yards, an interception and a first-quarter touchdown scamper. Brandon Jacobs ran for 107 yards on 18 carries for the Giants (1-0), who started a new campaign without its top two pass rushers from a season ago.
Michael Strahan retired to the network television booth and Osi Umenyiora is out for the season with a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee.
ABC 7 News myTAKE - What's Your Opinion? Jason Campbell completed 15-of-27 passes for just 133 yards and a touchdown, while last season's most-worked running back Clinton Ports carried the football 23 times for 84 yards. However, he ran for just 61 yards on 22 carries if his 23-yard run is taken out of the equation.
Jim Zorn lost his NFL head coaching debut with the Redskins (web|news) (0-1), while their leading receiver from a season ago, tight end Chris Cooley, caught just one pass for seven yards. Newly acquired defensive end Jason Taylor also made his Redskins debut, but played gingerly at the outset with a persistent knee injury.
New York's offense came out with energy and precision over an 84-yard, 11- play touchdown march. Manning found Burress three times on the march for a total of 60 yards, the last an 11-yard connection on third down from the Redskins 17-yard line. Following a pass interference penalty, Manning ran it into the end zone off a bootleg from one-yard out for a 7-0 edge.
Washington was stuck in neutral during its first possession, while the Giants continued to press hard on the gas moments later. A nine-play, 45-yard drive stalled and resulted in John Carney's 24-yard boot. The methodical possession was highlighted by Jacobs' 17-yard jaunt.
Campbell didn't complete a pass over the first quarter, and New York again moved into Carney field goal range stretching into the second stanza. Another 11-play march, this one covering 62 yards, ended in Carney splitting the uprights from 25 yards out. Manning hit Sinorice Moss for 23 yards and Burress for 16 yards on the drive.
Carney was true on his third successive attempt later in the second period -- a 47-yard attempt --, giving the Giants a 16-0 edge. Burress caught another pass on the drive and elevated his numbers to 98 yards receiving on the night.
Washington's offense finally shook off the cobwebs en route to a touchdown late in the half. Rock Cartwright's 50-yard kickoff return set up the march, capped by Campbell's 12-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss on a crossing pattern for a 16-7 advantage.
Neither team put points on the scoreboard in the second half. Washington threatened to make it a game late in the fourth quarter, driving to the Giants 37-yard line. Campbell completed a dump pass to Portis for a first down, but a holding penalty negated the play. The Redskins ended up punting on the drive.
Game Notes
Washington defensive back Fred Smoot (back) left the game in the third quarter...The Giants have a 86-61-4 advantage in the all-time series...Sinorice's brother Santana caught five passes for 37 yards in the lone Washington score...New York won its 47th season opener to just 32 losses and five ties...Antwaan Randle-El led the Redskins with seven catches for 73 yards.
