'Skins, Giants Renew Rivalry Monday Night

Week 13 in the NFL ends with an NFC East bout as the 5-6 Washington Redskins, trying to stay alive in the NFC playoff race, host the division-leading New York Giants on Monday Night Football (8:30 pm ET, ESPN).

In the early betting on this game New York was favored by two points, and as of Monday morning the Giants had been bumped to -3 at most NFL books.

Both these teams are coming off one of their best performances of this season. Two Thursdays ago the Redskins went to Dallas and beat the Cowboys on Thanksgiving 38-31, while last Sunday night the Giants pummeled Green Bay 38-10.

So New York leads the NFC East at 7-4, while Washington sits in third place at 5-6.

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These teams have already played one of the more exciting games of this season, six weeks ago in New Jersey. After a 13-13 first half and a scoreless third quarter the Giants look a 20-13 on a short Ahmad Bradshaw run. The 'Skins kicked a field goal to get within 20-16, then got a couple of very clutch plays from RG III, including a 30-yard TD pass to Santana Moss that gave Washington a 23-20 lead with a minute and a half to go.

But on the first play of the next possession Eli Manning hit Victory Cruz for a 77-yard catch-and-run score, giving New York the victory.

The 'Skins, with help from 89 yards on the ground from Griffin, outrushed the Giants that day 248-64. But they also fumbled it away three times.

Still, Washington hung on to cover the spread that day as 6.5-point underdogs.

Also, even with the late-game fireworks, that game played UNDER its total of 51.

Looking ahead to Week 14 in the NFL the action begins Thursday night when Eli's brother Peyton and his AFC West-leading Broncos visit the 3-9 Raiders (8:20 pm ET, NFL Network). In the early betting Denver was favored by 10 points at Oakland.

Moving on to Sunday the 8-4 Bears were early 2.5-point favorites at the 6-6 Vikings (1 pm ET, Fox); the 7-5 Bengals, winners of four games in a row, were favored by three points at home over the 6-6 Cowboys (1 pm ET, Fox); and Sunday night the 8-4 Packers were favored by seven points at Lambeau Field over the 4-8 Lions (8:20 pm ET, NBC).

And finally, for Monday night, in the marquee match-up of the weekend, the 9-3 Patriots were favored by four points over the 11-1 Texans (8:30 pm ET, ESPN).