John Fennelly , Executive Editor

All the talk this week is about how the Redskins’ offense is thriving under rookie QB Robert Griffin III, but no one is turning over the rock to see what this team really is – a .500 team. Yes, their offense is cooking and if you’re not ready for the speed, you will be left standing still.

The Giants are ready for the speed. They have already faced off against Michael Vick and Cam Newton. RGIII is a fresh pair of legs with a different level of  explosiveness, but the Giants are not about to get completely flatfooted like Minnesota and other teams have.

Even if they do, they have a 28-point window to work with on defense. The Giants’ offense averages over 29 points per game and, looking at this Redskins’ defense, there’s no reason why they won’t score at least that much this Sunday.

Washington may have the eighth-best rush defense in the league, but the Giants just shredded the best last week out in San Francisco, so this does not scare me. To be fair, the Skins have only faced one team with a legit rushing game thus far this season, and that was Minnesota last week. The Vikings got down big in the third quarter and went away from running the ball in the second half.

The Redskins are 27th in total defense. The Giants are third in total offense. Even if RGIII goes off, the Giants will counter in spades. Eli Manning and Giants’ passing game cannot be stopped even by the best defenses. Now, the running game is heating up. Washington is in for a long day.

LB Brian Orakpo, arguably Washington’s best defender, has been lost for the season with a torn pectoral muscle. DE Adam Carriker, a top defensive lineman, is also out for the season with a torn ligament in his leg.

Those are two devastating blows to the defense, and now more injuries threaten to weaken them further. According to Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington, the Skins may be without the services of some of their most productive defensive players:

Wide receiver Pierre Garçon did not practice Wednesday, three days after sitting out of the Vikings game with a nagging foot injury.

Joining Garçon on the sidelines at Redskins Park were CB Brandon Meriweather (knee) and CB David Jones (Achilles’ tendon). It’s unclear when Jones was injured, but he appeared to make it through Sunday’s game.

Limited in practice were: Safety Jordan Pugh (concussion), defensive end Doug Worthington (calf), nose tackle Barry Cofield (shoulder) as well as cornerbacks Cedric Griffin (hamstring) and DeAngelo Hall (knee).

Coach Mike Shanahan added that linebacker London Fletcher and defensive end Stephen Bowen were given some reps off as “rest.”

The Giants may find themselves in a game similar to the one against Carolina. Throttle Griffin, take care of the football on offense and  rest could fall into place…