(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

It’s been a long time since the Redskins last defeated the Giants. You’d have to go back to Week 15 of 2007 to find one in the win column, when the Redskins were charging their way into the playoffs, spurred on by a sizzling 66-yard passing performance (yes, for the game) by Todd Collins. Joe Gibbs must have taken the recipe to beating the Giants with him into retirement, as the Zorn Era ushered in a brutal stretch against Washington’s division rival. Games got out of hand by halftime, if not earlier, and the Giants held an astounding 11-minute average advantage in possession over the two-year span. Neither team is going into Sunday’s game on a particularly high note, although the Redskins defense has played better in the two weeks following the Philadelphia disaster and the Giants stole a win from Jacksonville to snap a two-game slide. Only thoughtful, detailed analysis can truly show us who will take this sure-to-be epic NFC East clash.

While the Zorn-led Redskins were having their troubles against the Giants, Donovan McNabb was singing a different tune up in Philadelphia. McNabb has won three consecutive games against the Giants and has put up impressive stats doing so, throwing six touchdown passes and only one interception. Simply put, his performance against the Giants is the complete opposite of everything that he’s done to date with the Redskins. It would be oh-so-nice if he could find a little of that old magic again. (My sources tell me that trading Santana Moss and Anthony Armstrong for DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin is unlikely due to salary cap considerations and the fact that the trade deadline passed several weeks ago. Rats.) The Giants are the best defense in the league against the pass, allowing the fewest yards and sacking opposing quarterbacks with alarming frequency (just ask Jay Cutler). It would behoove offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan to look to the run portion of his playsheet more than 13 times, if only to throw the Giants off of the play-action scent for a microsecond and keep the ball away from the Giants’ offense.