It’s been established that the Redskins don’t like the Giants. As owner Daniel Snyder put it in a way that would make Schwartz’s mother scream, they really don’t like the Giants.
Apart from the obvious reasons, the Redskins still have hard feelings regarding the involvement of Giants co-owner John Mara in the $36 million in cap space that was taken from the Redskins for treating the uncapped year of 2010 too literally.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Monday night that, in the days leading up to Washington’s 17-16 win over Mara’s Giants, coaches and officials posted sheets of paper in the team facility containing quotes from Mara regarding the cap penalties.
“I thought the penalties imposed were proper,” John Mara said at the time. “What they did was in violation of the spirit of the salary cap. They attempted to take advantage of a one-year loophole, and quite frankly, I think they’re lucky they didn’t lose draft picks.”
Per Schefter, the Redskins believe that Mara’s goal was to strip the Redskins of draft picks. Specifically, the Redskins think Mara wanted to hit the Redskins hard enough to keep them from getting Robert Griffin III.
Though that may not be entirely accurate, few sources of external motivation are. The Redskins believe it, and it appears that folks put in extra work and effort and desire to thrust themselves back into the playoff chase, both for the final wild-card berth and for the NFC East crown.