FrontSeven

That is basically a meaningless statement. I'm sure it's designed to be meaningless, but let's just face it - it's meaningless.

Yet, Burris and Jacobs are said to be practicing, and I don't think you practice guys who are not going to play. Perhaps the little lie in this whole thing is that Burris and Jacobs will start, but maybe get yanked after a quarter or two.

So just will Coughlin do? Who will he play? We know Eli is a basket case who needs work, so there is a given. But if you're going to try to win the game with scrubs against NE, that is about as lame and empty a promise as any I've ever heard.

FrontSeven

Yes, dearie, but that is just another version of the original, meaningless statement. If you're going to get that creative you might as well just tell the media "no comment" or "I refuse to tell you who we're going to play."

Personally, I'd sit Burris and Jacobs, absorb the defeat, and move on. But that is one ugly scenario if Bill lets his starters stay on the field. That is perhaps the low point of the Giants' franchise. That is national TV. That is the largest regular season game viewing audience in the history of the sport. That is an embarrassment that could deliver a hangover of huge proportions.

And like that other guy said, teams that lose to the Pats don't exactly fare well the next week.

They're screwed. I believe the Giants are totally screwed.

Truck

There is no conundrum.

If they were playing a league average team; what should they do in terms of playing/resting players? Whatever his answer to that is; that should be how he plays it against new england. Whether new england does or does not go 16-0 is not his concern. His concern is doing whatever makes his team best prepared for the playoffs.

A win over NE would be a huge jumpstart to their playoffs. However, trying hard 100% and losing would basically guarantee a first round exit.

If I was him, I'd play my starters for the 1st quarter. If the game is close/they-have-the-lead I'd keep them in the 2nd quarter. Then 2nd half play the scrubs

MoLewisrocks

I believe this about sums it up. But that was the case either way for Coughlin. Sucks to be a lame duck HC on a team where the inmates run the asylum under the watchful eye of the most judgemental in the world.

Once the mediots weighed in on the significance of beating us, and the players weighed in on the potential significance of momentum, on the heels of Cowher hinting he will not take another NFL HC job next season, Coughlin lost all rational control of the situation. He wants that one more year with the players and media who barely tolerate him...so he will take a shot at giving them what they want knowing that either way he's screwed if they lose in Tampa.

Lloyd_Christmas

I agree. Or just say "We are not going to tip our hand as to what we are planning to do."

It was dumb to say they were going to play all out to win the game. They are setting themselves up to make this their SB versus the Patriots... which is needless since it is a meaningless game for them and they have very little hope of winning it anyway.

When they lose, their moral will be down and they may possibly be worse off injury-wise. Better to play the backups most of the game and save face. Focus on the next week and put everything you have into THAT game... a game that means a lot more for your team and may actually be winnable.

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A Truly Vindictive Fanboy-type Poster

"My name is William Stephen Belichick, Coach of the New England Patriots, Three Time Super Bowl Champion, Defensive Guru, Pride of Karlovac, The Greatest Coach in the History of the NFL Since Vince Lombardi. Target of the spygate lynching, Defender of our Dynasty's legacy. And I will have my vengeance, in this game and the rest."

Lloyd_Christmas

I agree that the Giants are screwed, but if they got blowed out (sic) in the matchup playing all their scrubs, I don't see that as an embarrassing defeat.

You can always justify by saying that the game was meaningless to the Giants and so there was no sense putting starters at risk. Nobody is going to fault their scrubs for a huge loss and there isn't much to gain strategy-wise if the Giants starters don't play and the play calling is vanilla, preseason-style, play calling.

__________________
A Truly Vindictive Fanboy-type Poster

"My name is William Stephen Belichick, Coach of the New England Patriots, Three Time Super Bowl Champion, Defensive Guru, Pride of Karlovac, The Greatest Coach in the History of the NFL Since Vince Lombardi. Target of the spygate lynching, Defender of our Dynasty's legacy. And I will have my vengeance, in this game and the rest."