Weather

It’s a beautiful day in the NY-Metro area. Just a few harmless clouds floating around and the temp should be in the high 70’s by game time.

Last Minute Notes

Firsts……Bill Sheridan takes over for Steve Spagnuolo at defensive coordinator….Hakeem Nicks, Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard and Bruce Johnson will be four of the new faces that will see extended action in the inaugural appearances in Blue…Big Albert Haynesworth, the Redskins’ big off-season quarry, debuts in the middle of one of the league’s top defenses…..the Skins’ top draft choice, celebrated LB Brian Orakpo makes his NFL debut today

Lasts….This is the final season at Giants Stadium, so obviously, this is the teams’ final opening day there….

Things to watch for……The Giants paid Eli Manning AIG bailout-type numbers this summer to run their offense. Then they reloaded their receiving corps with young, viable talent……Eli is throwing better than he’s ever thrown as a Giant, partially due to the new practice facility that allows him to air out his throws…look for him to have a huge season and return to Hawaii in February, with a possible stop in Miami first….the defensive line has retooled as well…the rotation that smothered teams two years ago is back in top form and ready to wreak havoc….

Possible factors in today’s game…..Haynesworth is the biggest factor, but it’s going to be hot and he weighs close to 400 lbs…he may end up on the sideline more than he’ll be on the field…that changes the dynamic of the entire war in the trenches and could allow the Blue to run the ball with ease……….the Giants are thin at corner…Aaron Ross will not play and Kevin Dockery is questionable, leaving only Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas and rookie Bruce Johnson to cover Wsshington’s Santana Moss, Malcolm Kelly and Antwan Randle-El….watch out………Chase Blackburn starts as WILL for the Blue…he will have the responsibility of handling TE Chris Cooley, who has had big games against New York in the past….

Earlier today,Redskins DT Albert Haynesworth told reporters that he’s not afraid of the Giants and Brandon Jacobs this coming Sunday.

Said the DT, “They all fall the same.” What does he weigh 250? I weighed 250 in 10th grade.”

In response, the Giants big-boned RB said “Same challenge as usual.” Jacobs also added for the record that he only weighed 242 lbs.

Nobody is worried about Brandon Jacobs this Sunday, but the Redskins should be. I dont care what DT’s you have back there, Brandon Jacobs is, and always will be a hard man to take down. Haynesworth is good, very good in fact, but he can’t take down the most powerful RB in the NFL on his own, I don’t care what he says.

ESPN is reporting that Albert Haynesworth is officially a Washington Redskin. The deal could be worth over 100 million dollars  for 7 years, with 41 million in gauranteed money. Haynesworth becomes the highest paid defensive player in all of football and the only non-QB to be making 100 million. A groundbreaking contract.

Classic Redskins, classic Daniel Snyder. A massive contract for another marquee free agent, but so far this spending has yet to work out. Their Defensive line is not intimidating but it certainly got a massive overhaul today. Running up the middle against Washington just got a lot harder. Has Brandon Jacobs finally met his match?

ESPN is reporting that Fred Taylor, the 16th all time leading rusher is now officially a New England Patriot.

ESPN is also reporting that Sage Rosenfels has been traded from the Texans to the Vikings for a fourth round pick. The Vikings have extended Rosenfels to a 2 year 9 million dollar deal as well.

Rosenfels is a guy who always puts up nice numbers (I know from my seven fantasy teams last year). He has a good arm and is very accurate, that said he has yet to prove he can win. Certainly his chances of winning have greatly improved with a running back like AP behind him. Their defense isn’t to shabby either. Make no mistake the Vikings just got a lot better. The company line is that Sage will compete with Tavaris Jackson, but this is Rosenfels job all the way.