After two home games, the Redskins head back out on the road to take on the NFC East-leading New York Giants on Sunday, Dec. 18 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Kickoff is 1 p.m. ET.

MetLife Stadium uses FieldTurf as its playing surface. The stadium seats 82,566.

The Giants took control of the NFC East last Sunday when they defeated the Dallas Cowboys 37-34 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Both the Giants and Cowboys have 7-6 records but the Giants get the edge based on the head-to-head matchup.

The Redskins are 1-3 in the NFC East this season. Their lone victory was a 28-14 win over the Giants in Week 1 at FedExField. They subsequently lost to the Dallas Cowboys twice and the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Giants are 2-2 in the NFC East, with a 29-16 win at Philadelphia in Week 3 to go along with last Sunday's victory over Dallas. They lost a second matchup to the Eagles.

The Redskins are 2-4 in road games this year, with victories at St. Louis in Week 4 and at Seattle in Week 12. The Giants are 3-3 at MetLife Stadium this year.

The Redskins-Giants game will be televised nationally on FOX. Joe Buck calls the play by play and Troy Aikman provides color commentary. Pam Oliver reports from the sidelines.

On radio, the game will be broadcast locally on the Redskins Radio Network. Larry Michael calls the play-by-play with former Redskins and Hall of Famers Sonny Jurgensen and Sam Huff adding color commentary. Rick 'Doc' Walker reports from the sidelines.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS

SERIES HISTORY

The Redskins and New York Giants have played each other every year since 1932, with the Giants leading the series 92-63-4 (including postseason).

The two teams have played each other more than any other team in each club's history.

The Redskins defeated the Giants 28-14 in Week 1 of the regular season. Tim Hightower rushed for 72 yards on 25 carries and Rex Grossman completed 21-of-34 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns.

Rookie first-round draft pick Ryan Kerrigan turned in the play of the game when he intercepted an Eli Manning pass and raced 9 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter. The Redskins' defense shut out the Giants in the second half, with rookie Chris Neild posting two sacks and Stephen Bowen and Adam Carriker logging one each.

Prior to the Week 1 contest, the Giants had won six consecutive games against the Redskins. Since 2006, the Giants own a 9-2 record against the Redskins.

The Redskins' first-ever game in Washington, D.C., was against the Giants. On Sept. 15, 1937, the Redskins defeated the Giants 13-3 in front of 19,941 fans at Griffith Stadium.

The Redskins and Giants have played twice in the postseason, once in 1943 with the Redskins winning 28-0 to advance to the NFL Championship game.

In the 1986 season, the Giants defeated Joe Gibbs' Redskins 17-0 in the NFC Championship game at Giants Stadium.

TALE OF THE TAPE
 

FAMILIAR FACES ON THE GIANTS

Wide receiver Devin Thomas was the Redskins' second-round draft pick in 2008 and played with the club through Week 6 this season. He logged 40 catches for 445 yards and three touchdowns in 2+ seasons with the Redskins.

Practice squad running back Andre Brown spent time with the Redskins during the 2010 season. He was on the Redskins' 2011 off-season roster but was released prior to training camp.

Player development consultant Jessie Armstead was a linebacker with the Redskins from 2003-04.

Offensive line coach Pat Flahertywas a Redskins tight ends coach in 2000.

Tight ends coach Michael Pope was a Redskins tight ends coach from 1997-99.

Defensive line coach Robert Nunn coached the Redskins' defensive line in 2003.

REDSKINS-GIANTS NEWS & NOTES

-- Shanahan vs. Coughlin

Mike Shanahan and Tom Coughlin both entered the head coaching ranks the same season in 1995, Shanahan with the Denver Broncos and Coughlin with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now both are in the NFC East.

Shanahan is 4-5 all-time coaching against Coughlin.

That mark includes a 30-27 loss to Coughlin's Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1996 postseason and a 42-17 victory over Coughlin's Jaguards in the 1997 postseason, when Shanahan was head coach in Denver.

Shanahan's career record is 164-122, a .573 winning percentage. That win total is 15th best among all-time NFL head coaches. He surpassed Bill Cowher with the Redskins' Week 2 win over Arizona.

Shanahan has won games against every NFL opponent.

Among active head coaches, Shanahan's record is second only to New England's Bill Belichick, who has a 187-103 record.

Coughlin has a 148-120 career record, which is 20th best in NFL history.

With the Redskins' Week 12 win over the Seattle Seahawks, Mike Shanahan recorded his 164th career win (regular season and postseason) as a head coach.

-- Giants By the Numbers

Quarterback Eli Manning has played against the Redskins 14 times in his career, posting a 10-4 record. He has not put up great statistical numbers in that span, though.

Manning has completed just 54.9 percent of his career passes against the Redskins' defense. He has thrown for 2,993 yards, 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

His best game was on Dec. 21, 2009, when he completed 19-of-26 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-12 win. His QB rating was 144.4.

Running back Brandon Jacobs has been a thorn in the Redskins' side for years. In seven games vs. Washington, Jacobs has 150 carries for 667 yards, a 4.4 yards-per-carry average, and five touchdowns. His best game was on Dec. 5, 2010, when he compiled 103 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries.

On the other side of the ball, defensive end Justin Tuck has been a tough matchup for the Redskins' pass protection units. In 11 games vs. Washington, Tuck has eight sacks and four forced fumbles, all coming in the last eight games.

Defensive end Osi Umenyiora has eight career sacks and four forced fumbles in 14 games against the Redskins. In the 2010 season, he logged three sacks and three forced fumbles in two games vs. Washington. In a Sept. 13, 2009 matchup against the Redskins, he scooped up a fumble after sacking Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell and raced 37 yards for a touchdown.

Tuck and Umenyiora did not play in the first Redskins-Giants game earlier this year. Both were sidelined due to injuries.

-- Youth Movement Is Underway

Last April, the Redskins set a franchise record for picks in a seven-round draft with 12. As of Week 12 of the season, 10 of the 12 picks had received playing time, the highest total in the NFL.

First-round linebacker Ryan Kerrigan has started every game this season, compiling 62 tackles, 6.5 sacks, one interception and four forced fumbles.

Second-round defensive tackle Jarvis Jenkins' season ended on injured reserve in preseason. Third-round wide receiver was also placed on injured reserve after he caught 13 passes for 163 yards in four games.

Fourth-round running back Roy Helu is the Redskins' breakout player of the second half of the seaso. He rushed for 100+ yards in Weeks 11-13, becoming the first Redskins rookie ever to do so in three consecutive weeks. He also caught a franchise record 14 passes for 105 yards in Week 9.

Fifth-rounders safety DeJon Gomes and wide receiver Niles Paul have seen action in reserve roles this season. Sixth-round running back Evan Royster saw his first significant NFL action last week vs. New England, rushing for 44 yards on six carries.

Seventh-round guard Maurice Hurt has emerged as the starting left guard since Week 8. Fellow seventh rounders cornerback Brandyn Thompson, linebacker Markus White and defensive tackle Chris Neild have seen action as backups.

Along with Jenkins, only sixth-round wide receiver Aldrick Robinson has not seen playing time this season.

-- How the Redskins' 53-Man Roster Was Built

The Redskins have 19 players on the roster that the team drafted, including this year's first-round draft pick Ryan Kerrigan .

Washington has used free agency to acquire 24 players, including Mike Sellers in 2004, London Fletcher in 2007, DeAngelo Hall in 2008, Rex Grossman in 2010 and Barry Cofield and Stephen Bowen in 2011.

Four Redskins players were acquired as undrafted rookie free agents. This group includes cornerback Byron Westbrook, wide receiver Brandon Banks, tight end Logan Paulsen and offensive tackle Willie Smith

The team has acquired six players via trade: Santana Moss (Jets) in 2005, John Beck (Ravens), Jammal Brown (Saints) and Adam Carriker (Rams) in 2010 and Jabar Gaffney (Broncos) and Tim Hightower (Cardinals) in 2011.

-- London Calling

London Fletcher has been one of the NFL's most consistent and productive defensive players throughout his 14-year career.

That had continued this season, his fifth in the nation's capital. The 5-foot-10, 245-pound Fletcher has earned Pro Bowl berths each of the last two years.

Fletcher enters this Sunday's game with a streak of 176 consecutive starts, second-best among active players behind Tampa Bay cornerback Ronde Barber (196).

Fletcher has played in 221 consecutive games, which is tied with Barber for most in the league.

This year also marks the 14th straight in which Fletcher has recorded at least 100 tackles, dating back to 1999 when he was in his second season with the St. Louis Rams.

-- Redskins' Strength of Schedule

The Redskins have the NFL's 29th toughest schedule in 2011, according to the NFL. (Or, in other words, the Redskins have the NFL's fourth easiest schedule.)

The Redskins' opponents for the 2011 season produced a 121-135 record last year, a .473 winning percentage.

Only the Arizona Cardinals (.441), Baltimore Ravens (.457) and San Francisco 49ers (.465) have easier schedules than the Redskins.

The Redskins play six games against teams who finished .500 or better in 2010. They play five games against 2010 playoff opponents.

In the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys have the 15th toughest schedule (.504), the Philadelphia Eagles have the 17th toughest schedule (.504) and the New York Giants have the 23rd toughest schedule.

-- 'Rocc'-Star

Sav Rocca, the Redskins' 37-year-old Australian punter, is off to a strong start in his first year in Washington. Overall, he is averaging 44.5 yards per punt.

He is tied for first in the NFL with 26 punts downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

Rocca enters Week 13 with a 40.0-yard net punting average, which if maintained would be the highest average in Redskins franchise history. Matt Turk currently hold the single-season record for net punting, having averaged 39.2 net yards in both 1996 and 1997.

"Net is really the team stat that we look at after my punt," Rocca explained. "If I give it as much hang time as possible for these guys to get down there, then they're not going to have any return yards."

Rocca has had just one touchback on his punts this season, which is also among the league's best.

-- Grossman And 300

Rex Grossman's 314-yard passing performance in the Redskins' Week 12 win over the Seattle Seahawks was his fifth career 300-yard passing game.

Four of his five 300-yard games have come in his time with the Redskins.

Grossman passed for 322 yards on Dec. 19, 2010 against the Dallas Cowboys, 336 yards on Jan. 2 against the Giants and 305 yards also against the Giants on Sept. 11 to go along with his 314-yard passing performance vs. Seattle.

-- International Redskins

The Redskins have three players on the roster who were born outside the United States.

Safety Oshiomogho Atogwe was born in Windsor, Ontario.

Kicker Graham Gano was born in Arbroath, Scotland.

Punter Sav Rocca was born in Melbourne, Australia.

-- What's Next?

The Redskins will play the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, Dec. 24 at FedExField. Kickoff is 1 p.m. ET. It is the Redskins' home finale for the 2011 season.

The game will be the 20th overall meeting between the two clubs. The Redskins lead the series 11-9, with 14 regular season matchups.

The Vikings defeated the Redskins 17-13 last year at FedExField. Head coach Mike Shanahan's record against the Vikings is 2-3, 0-1 with the Redskins.