Ahh… that football nirvana is finally here. It is the opening day for the 2008 regular season of NFL football. Tonight at 7pm EST the New York football Giants will take on the Washington Redskins. There are a few big stories here.
To start with we have the Jason Taylor injury. Will Jason Taylor play? He has been labeled as a game-time decision, but you have to assume that this is a big deal if he doesn’t play. Now, sure one game does not a season make, but this is a divisional game in the division that many consider the toughest division in the NFL. With the defending SuperBowl champs, the NFC favorite Cowboys, and the Eagles being led by Brian Westbrook and a healthy Donovan McNabb, the Skins need every oportunity they can get to gain a divisional advantage. Jason Taylor is a big part of that equation for Washington’s defense. Washington has had a couple of key injuries to the defensive end position this preseason. Enter Jason Taylor. Washington traded for Taylor after their starting right end Phillip Daniels went down for the season. With Jason Taylor coming at him all day, Giants quarterback Eli Manning had a big test to overcome if he wanted to win this game. Now, he might have an easier time of it.
The next big headline in this game is Eli Manning. Eli Manning gave us one of the most memorable SuperBowl victories in recent memory. His football heroics will be the thing of highlight reels for years to come. But, can he keep it up? Manning has been one of the most inconsistent quarterbacks of the past few years. He finished the season on as “Good Eli.” The question is who shows up tonight “Good Eli” or “Bad Eli?”
My pick: New York Giant win 24-17.
