Important Pats-Giants note...

[DougGabriel2007]

While a lot of folks were wondering if the Pats would play/rest their starters for this week 17 matchup vs a strong pass rush so Brady and some others would get rest and not be injured. It looks like the Giants are possibly not going to have anything at stake going into this game.

As the NFC stands now, they are 2 games up on everyone for the 5th seed in the division (with tiebreaker over Lions), and 3 games back of Dallas for the division lead (tiebreak loser to Cowboys.) The Lions schedule down the stretch is fairly brutal with GB, Dal, @Minn, @SD, @GB on it and by week 17 they may not have a chance to pass the Giants. Arizona is a team that can maybe make a run since their schedule is so easy, but even they will probably not match the Giants. Dallas, I doubt loses their lead to the Giants, they are basically up 3 games and probably will only lose a few more times all year max...

With Burress/Jacobs banged up, Strahan getting old and a playoff game the very next week, I doubt the Giants would risk too many of their prominent players in a meaningless game vs the Pats (especially if they have SB on their minds, which they should, since they are probably the 3rd best team in the NFC, why would they want to play the Pats and show them stuff for the game?)


Haven't heard anyone make these points yet so I figured post it, but it looks to be a strong possibility that the Pats might close the year against a less than full strength Giants team.....

 

[Patsfan1280]

Re: Important Pats-Giants note.....

While a lot of folks were wondering if the Pats would play/rest their starters for this week 17 matchup vs a strong pass rush so Brady and some others would get rest and not be injured. It looks like the Giants are possibly not going to have anything at stake going into this game.

As the NFC stands now, they are 2 games up on everyone for the 5th seed in the division (with tiebreaker over Lions), and 3 games back of Dallas for the division lead (tiebreak loser to Cowboys.) The Lions schedule down the stretch is fairly brutal with GB, Dal, @Minn, @SD, @GB on it and by week 17 they may not have a chance to pass the Giants. Arizona is a team that can maybe make a run since their schedule is so easy, but even they will probably not match the Giants. Dallas, I doubt loses their lead to the Giants, they are basically up 3 games and probably will only lose a few more times all year max...

With Burress/Jacobs banged up, Strahan getting old and a playoff game the very next week, I doubt the Giants would risk too many of their prominent players in a meaningless game vs the Pats (especially if they have SB on their minds, which they should, since they are probably the 3rd best team in the NFC, why would they want to play the Pats and show them stuff for the game?)


Haven't heard anyone make these points yet so I figured post it, but it looks to be a strong possibility that the Pats might close the year against a less than full strength Giants team.....

I just realized this last night as well. Also the fact is that the Giants will be playing a game the next week in the Wildcard round of the playoffs while the Pats will have that weekend off.

 

[DougGabriel2007]

Re: Important Pats-Giants note.....

In that last post I didn't say anything about the Giants schedule, it isn't easy but they will be favored in all 5 games leading up to the Pats game....

Minn
@Chi
@Phi
Wash
@Buff


Another thing I will mention is that if they have a playoff slot locked up, and not necessarily the 5th slot, I think they would probably play it out depending on how TB/Seattle is slotted. Teams hate going to Seattle because its the loudest stadium in the league and I think the Giants would play to avoid that if they could probably, however, if TB had that 3rd seed I think they wouldn't have much problem laying down......

 

[JoePats]

Re: Important Pats-Giants note.....

I could see them resting Burress, who has practiced once all season and has said that his ankle is worse now than it has been all year, but I'd be very surprised if the rest of the starters only played a few series.

 

[DougGabriel2007]

Re: Important Pats-Giants note.....

Decent point Joe, but if your gonna rest Burress you likely have no shot to beat NE anyways, so why play Eli and the guys severely shorthanded in game you don't remotely need? Jacobs is another guy who I doubt they would wanna play since he is injury prone with that upright running style.....

 

[patchick]

Re: Important Pats-Giants note.....

Also the fact is that the Giants will be playing a game the next week in the Wildcard round of the playoffs while the Pats will have that weekend off.

That's the biggest factor of all, IMO. The Patriots should be in a position where they want to stay sharp, the Giants in a position where they want to get rested and healthy.

 

[BadMoFo]

Re: Important Pats-Giants note.....

Worst part of this game is that it's on NFL Network, as is the GB-Dallas game next week.

 

[BrianPat]

Re: Important Pats-Giants note.....

While a lot of folks were wondering if the Pats would play/rest their starters for this week 17 matchup vs a strong pass rush so Brady and some others would get rest and not be injured. It looks like the Giants are possibly not going to have anything at stake going into this game.

As the NFC stands now, they are 2 games up on everyone for the 5th seed in the division (with tiebreaker over Lions), and 3 games back of Dallas for the division lead (tiebreak loser to Cowboys.) The Lions schedule down the stretch is fairly brutal with GB, Dal, @Minn, @SD, @GB on it and by week 17 they may not have a chance to pass the Giants. Arizona is a team that can maybe make a run since their schedule is so easy, but even they will probably not match the Giants. Dallas, I doubt loses their lead to the Giants, they are basically up 3 games and probably will only lose a few more times all year max...

With Burress/Jacobs banged up, Strahan getting old and a playoff game the very next week, I doubt the Giants would risk too many of their prominent players in a meaningless game vs the Pats (especially if they have SB on their minds, which they should, since they are probably the 3rd best team in the NFC, why would they want to play the Pats and show them stuff for the game?)


Haven't heard anyone make these points yet so I figured post it, but it looks to be a strong possibility that the Pats might close the year against a less than full strength Giants team.....

Interesting thoughts, thanks for posting them !

 

[TOzgood]

Re: Important Pats-Giants note.....

Guys, your forgetting something very important. Whether it has playoffs implications for New York or not...why wouldn't they start all of their players? I doubt they would rest them, why? Because obviously they want to be the team to beat the juggernaut. They are going to want to be the team who defeats goliath and ruin their run for perfection, what team would not want to be a part of that? I do not see them going easier or seeing it as a "worthless" game just because they are out of it. Every team NE faces here on out is going to want to knock them off, simple as that.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Re: Important Pats-Giants note.....

Worst part of this game is that it's on NFL Network, as is the GB-Dallas game next week.

Worse for all those without NFLN.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Re: Important Pats-Giants note.....

i take the point that the giants will want to protect their starters with a Wild Card Round game in seven days.

However, when golfers play in tournaments that field mutlple foursomes, the role of a Playing Partner is to "protect the field" by assuring that those with whom s/he is playing follow the Rules of Golf and by calling them out when they don't. In this case, the pressure on the giants will be significant to give the Patriots a full game.

In fact, even if they were to win the SuperBowl, the Giants would be much longer remembered as the team who stopped the Patriots in the last game of the season. Just like no pitcher wanted to be the guy who gave up Barry Bond's record breaker, the Giants won't want to go down in history as the team that let the Patriots make this history without a fight.

 

[MrTumnus]

Re: Important Pats-Giants note.....

No offense with regard to this posting, but the likely scenario really should come down on the Giants side of things - not the Patriots.

Let me explain...

Let's say you're the Patriots and you're 15-0 going into this game (yes, I know they WILL be, but just for the sake of argument...) Do you honestly believe the Patriots will walk away from history? Under ANY circumstances??? REALLY???

This idea that the Patriots would EVER rest players under this scenario is so short-sighted it's beyond my comprehension.

When this game arrives and the Pats are 15-0, I'd rest my entire team if I were the Giants because there's no way I'd get run over by this juggernaut the week before my wild card game.

It's not the Patriots that need to worry, it's the Giants.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Re: Important Pats-Giants note.....

No offense with regard to this posting, but the likely scenario really should come down on the Giants side of things - not the Patriots.

Let me explain...

Let's say you're the Patriots and you're 15-0 going into this game (yes, I know they WILL be, but just for the sake of argument...) Do you honestly believe the Patriots will walk away from history? Under ANY circumstances??? REALLY???

This idea that the Patriots would EVER rest players under this scenario is so short-sighted it's beyond my comprehension.

When this game arrives and the Pats are 15-0, I'd rest my entire team if I were the Giants because there's no way I'd get run over by this juggernaut the week before my wild card game.

It's not the Patriots that need to worry, it's the Giants.

I agree that the Pats will go for it if they have the chance (i'm not sure I like it, but i agree).

I disagree that the Giants will roll over. In fact, if I'm the Giants, I'm figuring that it's gonna be a tough get to beat the pack or cowboys in their own houses. however, if i stop the patriots from making history on the last day of the season, people will be talking about the game forever in the NFL.

 

[SVN]

Re: Important Pats-Giants note.....

if the giants dont play their starters and the pats win with their starters look for more people wanting to put special characters against the pats mark. Shula has already taken the asterisk(*). i think they will go with ampersand next '&'.

 

[spacecrime]

Re: Important Pats-Giants note.....

Guys, your forgetting something very important. Whether it has playoffs implications for New York or not...why wouldn't they start all of their players? I doubt they would rest them, why? Because obviously they want to be the team to beat the juggernaut. They are going to want to be the team who defeats goliath and ruin their run for perfection, what team would not want to be a part of that?

Why? Why? Because they will be playing a playoff game the following week. Do you really think that knocking off the Pats is a higher priority to them than winning a playoff game?

If you have a first round bye, you play your starters, because you don't want them to go three weeks with playing a game.

If you don't have a first round bye, you rest your starters, making the last game of the deasons your defacto bye week.

The Giants would rather try to make it to the superbowl and knock the Pats off there, than to not prepare for the playoffs .

 

[p8ryts]

Hey, good job, an intelligent post.

 

[shakadave]

Great thread.

I think we have already received some insight into how the Patriots will approach Game 16 if they're 15-0. Right now, Tom Brady doesn't want to be taken out of blowouts in the 4th quarter. He wants to use the opportunity to get better. Now inject this attitude into Game 16, knowing there's even a bye week for us during the Wild Card round. Seems very likely the Pats will play starters at least as much as they would during the third preseason game.

 

[DougGabriel2007]

With the Lions losing today, they are now basically 3 back of NYG if NYG beats Minnesota at home sunday. Unless the Cards rally with their easy schedule or the Redskins can give them a run, its looking likely that the last game of the season won't have much meaning for the Giants....

I just can't imagine they play banged up guys like Jacobs, Burress and also old vets like Strahan, Madison in a completely meaningless game against a great, physical team that its gonna take a superhuman effort to beat. If your not gonna play a few big guns, why throw Eli out there? For what?

 

[Pats726]

Great thread.

I think we have already received some insight into how the Patriots will approach Game 16 if they're 15-0. Right now, Tom Brady doesn't want to be taken out of blowouts in the 4th quarter. He wants to use the opportunity to get better. Now inject this attitude into Game 16, knowing there's even a bye week for us during the Wild Card round. Seems very likely the Pats will play starters at least as much as they would during the third preseason game.

The Pats will play their starters..of course...NO WAY do they give players a bye..when they have a week off..making it two weeks. Players need to get into shape..stamina is a big thing in playoff games..Can't practice that taking a few quarters away....It'll be the same as these games..with maybe a bit of a twist somewhere along the line

 

[IpaqMan]

There is another reason for the Giants to "skip" the Patriots game. Their chance of winning against the Pats considering the Giants' injury status is small. If they played the Pats hard, BB might unleash his full gameplan against the Giants. We all know what has happened before to "strong" teams after other teams see BB's gameplan. The Giants have the playoffs to plan for and a possible matchup again with the Pats in the SB.

As mentioned before, other teams who try to win against the Pats seem to acquire significant injuries in doing so (Buffalo, Colts, Washington).