The best rivalries in the NFL are usually found between all four NFC East teams. Now that the Washington Redskins feel they are on the right path to reach the playoffs for the first time in five years, their owner Dan Snyder decided it’s a good time to reignite their rivalry with the New York Giants with a few choice words.
It goes both ways. Snyder caused some news after the win when he was seen celebrating with a team employee, saying I hate those mother-$^&%^&*# as the media was allowed a bit early into the locker room.
Before the game, Giants’ co-owner John Mara gave the Redskins plenty of motivation by being one of those leading the charge to take away $36 million worth of salary-cap space from the Redskins. He said that nine months ago, but words resonate, and the Redskins, who missed out on a win a few weeks ago in New Jersey against the Giants, used that loss and some of Mara’s words of wisdom to get another source of motivation to win.
I think the Redskins are lucky they didn’t lose draft picks. I thought the penalties imposed were proper.
Washington coaches and officials had Mara’s quotes hanging on sheets of paper on their office doors, according to team sources. The theory in Washington says that Mara tried to have enough draft picks taken away so that Washington couldn’t complete its deal with St. Louis for the rights to select quarterback Robert Griffin III. There was one big pile up and skirmish during the game itself.
Giants defensive tackle Linval Joseph and Redskins offensive lineman Kory Lichtensteiger were flagged for unnecessary roughness. Joseph appeared to be trying to drag Redskins offensive lineman Will Montgomery out of the pile by his leg as players were scrambling to come up with the fumble, which was recovered by the Giants’ Keith Rivers. Montgomery retaliated by kicking Joseph in the groin area and then Joseph responded by attempting to stomp on Montgomery’s chest.
The Redskins beat the Giants 17-16, improving to 6-6 this season, moving now to one game behind the New York Giants in the NFC East, tied with the Cowboys for the second spot, currently holding the tie breaker thanks to their Thanksgiving win in Dallas. At the moment all three teams are in the qualifying 8 to the postseason.