This weekend, the New York Giants face one of the oldest dilemmas across all of the sports. They are locked into the sixth seed in the NFC and have absolutely nothing to gain or lose from a standings perspective in their game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Fans are torn as to whether or not head coach Brian Daboll should play their starters to maintain the team’s momentum, or give the players much-needed rest and prevent any potential injuries.
On the one hand, the Giants are coming off of a dominant and extremely emotional win at home against the Indianapolis Colts which secured the team their first playoff appearance since 2016. The positive momentum around the team is palpable and they risk losing that by resting their starters. In fact, the 2007 Super Bowl-winning Giants team faced this exact same scenario. They had clinched a playoff berth going into the final game of the regular season against the undefeated New England Patriots. Head coach Tom Coughlin decided to play his starters, and they remained competitive into the fourth quarter against what many consider the greatest team of all time. Although they ended up losing that game, players to this day will tell you that their ability to stay close gave them the confidence they needed for the rematch a month later in the Super Bowl against those same Patriots, which the Giants ended up winning.
On the other hand, this current Giants team is limited from a talent perspective and has very little depth. Any injury would be devastating and could cost them whatever chances they have of advancing in the playoffs. Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones, in particular, could likely use the rest. The Giants are extremely thin in the secondary and would be unable to overcome a loss on that side of the ball.
The approach on Sunday will likely be somewhere in the middle. Expect Daboll to allow his starters to play in the first half and to bring in the backups later in the game. As much as the Giants would love to beat their hated rivals, for whom this game is critical, the most important game of the season for the Giants comes the following week.
Get the latest sports news via Fantom Sports Industries. Follow us on Twitter via @Fantom_sports. Like us on Facebook via Fantom Sports Industries. Subscribe to our YouTube channel via Fantom Sports. Subscribe to our Newsletter! Shop Fantom Sports Industries Merch.
Invest in your favorite athletes like stocks with “Prediction Strike!” Use code FANTOM when you sign up
Discover more from Fantom Sports Industries
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
One response
[…] third time this season. Philadelphia, who clinched the number one overall seed in the NFC with a win over the Giants in week 18, have their eyes set on the NFC championship game. Meanwhile, the Giants are hoping to ride a […]