Giants pre game stuff

[Deadskins]

We stopped their run in both games this season.

hah. I love the optimism about a possible rematch, my man. But this stuff is delusional. We allowed 102 total rushing yards in the first game. 136 rushing yards in the second. If that counts as "stopping the run in both games" then we must be fielding a top 10 defense.

102 yds rushing is not a high total for a team. If that was Elliott's total, alone, then you could say that stuff is delusional.

[PAPDOG67]

We stopped their run in both games this season.

hah. I love the optimism about a possible rematch, my man. But this stuff is delusional. We allowed 102 total rushing yards in the first game. 136 rushing yards in the second. If that counts as "stopping the run in both games" then we must be fielding a top 10 defense.

102 yds rushing is not a high total for a team. If that was Elliott's total, alone, then you could say that stuff is delusional.

If you think this team is good against the run, you haven't been watching. Believe me, Dallas would much rather face us than someone with an actual defense like Seattle or the Giants. Our defense is awful.

[SkinsJock]

we have a very potent offense and the puke defense that was on display early on last night looked horrible

[Deadskins]

We stopped their run in both games this season.

hah. I love the optimism about a possible rematch, my man. But this stuff is delusional. We allowed 102 total rushing yards in the first game. 136 rushing yards in the second. If that counts as "stopping the run in both games" then we must be fielding a top 10 defense.

102 yds rushing is not a high total for a team. If that was Elliott's total, alone, then you could say that stuff is delusional.

If you think this team is good against the run, you haven't been watching.

Yes, that's what I said.
I said we stopped THEIR run in those two games. Maybe "stopped" is too strong a word, but we did hold Elliott under 100 yards in both contests. Both games could have gone either way. I don't know why so many here feel we stand no chance in a rematch.

[oj]

I originally thought the 'Ginas would sit Beckham out, you all know he and Norman are going to wail on each other maybe both get tossed. But if they let us into the playoffs they see us again before the championship game and they do not want that. They want to end our chances right now. They'll have their 'A' game and then some for this match. It's going to be a great game, a nailbiter or we'll stomp them into the turf.

[DarthMonk]

If history is a guide the Giants WILL have all hands on deck.

We certainly have everything to play for and they have virtually nothing to play for but on the flipside of that we could easily end up playing tight while they play loose - kind of like the way the Carolina game went.

Here's to hoping we don't see that again.

[riggofan]

Whatever happens this weekend, I gotta say I'm glad we've had another year worth watching.

If you've forgotten what most of the past fifteen years has been like, tune into the Jets/Bills game on Sunday and refresh your memory.

[PAPDOG67]

If you guys think Eli plays more than the 1st half of football you are delusional. He an OBJ will be on the sidelines after the 1st quarter in all likelyhood. The Giants will use this week as their bye week. Any of you guys thinking they're going to go all out to beat us are crazy. They punched their ticket as the 5 seed. There's no reason to risk injury.

[Burgundy&Wha?]

I suspect the Giants will try to come out and put three touchdowns on the board to then rest their stars. They intend to do us no favors. Our starters can beat their starters, as they did in week three. I find this "I hope they rest their guys" talk more than self-defeating. Tired of it. Play to win. Make it happen. Take it from them.

[oj]

If you guys think Eli plays more than the 1st half of football you are delusional. He an OBJ will be on the sidelines after the 1st quarter in all likelyhood. The Giants will use this week as their bye week. Any of you guys thinking they're going to go all out to beat us are crazy. They punched their ticket as the 5 seed. There's no reason to risk injury.

The 'Ginas have lost to us once this year, they don't want to loose to us again esp now. We see them in the playoffs having already beaten them twice is not a position they want to put themselves into. They'll want to drive a stake in our hearts. I hope they try.

[DarthMonk]

If you guys think Eli plays more than the 1st half of football you are delusional. He an OBJ will be on the sidelines after the 1st quarter in all likelyhood. The Giants will use this week as their bye week. Any of you guys thinking they're going to go all out to beat us are crazy. They punched their ticket as the 5 seed. There's no reason to risk injury.

You may be right but history says otherwise.

Typical post from their fan forum:

You can't play any game in fear of injuries ... The GMEN need to play their starters and win this game for multiple reasons ... 1. They are not yet a mature winning team and can't go on the road in the playoffs with a 2 game losing streak especially to division rivals. If they lose, it will be very difficult to recover psychologically for the wildcard game... 2. They need to win BIG to prove all of the close wins this year weren't a fluke... and 3. we need to send the Redskins' fans and their Putz of an owner home where they belong. I dislike them more than Dallas.

Here is an ESPN article on the situation:

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants can use their Week 17 matchup with the Washington Redskins as an opportunity to rest and heal some of its most valuable players. Or they can use it as a tune-up for the postseason.

This is the dilemma coach Ben McAdoo faces with the Giants locked into the NFC’s fifth playoff slot. Their playoff positioning doesn’t change win or lose on Sunday.

Ben McAdoo hasn't given any indication that he plans to rest his starters on Sunday. AP Photo/Evan Pinkus
If McAdoo plans on resting players, he sure did a good job of keeping it under wraps when they returned to work on Tuesday. Starting left guard Justin Pugh said he didn’t even mention the playoffs until the team huddled following practice. The message even then was congratulations, be ascending going into the playoffs.

Expect those to be the buzzwords this week: “Be ascending going into the playoffs.”

McAdoo doesn't address the media until after practice on Wednesday. In the meantime, the Giants went about their business Tuesday as if it were any old week.

“I feel like [Tuesday] was business as usual,” Pugh said. “We didn’t talk about the playoffs until coach called us up at the very end of practice today, so we were in there just not talking about it, and we were all Washington [Tuesday].”

The Giants starters are preparing to be on the field Sunday with the Redskins fighting for their playoff lives. Quarterback Eli Manning said Monday he wants to play. Running back Rashad Jenning said Tuesday that he expects Manning and the entire offense to play.

“Yes. Everyone is going to play Sunday,” Jennings said.

The reasoning in the locker room varied. Jennings said it was the next game on the schedule. The Giants want to win because they're competitors.

Wide receiver Victor Cruz seemed to agree. He didn’t think they would do anything special to try to prepare the offense for the postseason.

“I think we just want to go out there and play,” Cruz said. “I don't think it's any emphasis on anything. I think offensively we want to go out there and perform and do what we're capable of doing; that's moving the ball down the field, putting the ball in the end zone and scoring touchdowns, and that's our only goal coming this week, and as of right now we're all playing. So we're going to prepare that way.”

Pugh thought Sunday afternoon in Maryland could serve a specific purpose. The Giants offense hasn’t exactly been a juggernaut this season. They’ve yet to score 30 points in a game and haven’t reached 20 points in any of their last four contests.

They’re ranked 24th in total offense (330.6 yards per game) and 25th in points (19.4). Will Week 17 against the Redskins solve the problems?

“You can work on some of the things that obviously have plagued us thus far this season,” Pugh said. “Obviously we have done some really good things, we have 10 wins. There is a reason why we are in the playoffs. But to go out there and do some things, personally and as a unit, as an offensive line, we obviously have things that we want to work on from last week and you go out there and do that. And like I said before, you want to be ascending going into the playoffs, and we have a chance to do that going up against a tough divisional opponent in their place.”

The benefit of resting players is that it provides them extra time to heal or keep them fresh for the postseason. The Giants have more than a few players -- especially on defense -- dealing with minor injuries. Linebacker Jonathan Casillas (knee), defensive tackle Damon Harrison (knee) and cornerback Janoris Jenkins (back) come to mind.

Curiously, none were in the locker room during the media’s open access period Tuesday.

The fear for the Giants or any team in their situation has to be key players getting hurt in a Week 17 game with no playoff implications. The players aren’t concerned about that.

“I think that if you start trying to play to not get hurt then that is when you do get hurt,” Pugh said. “We have to go out there and do what you have always done, prepare like you have prepared; and this is the start of the playoffs for us. We are going on the road, keep working in hostile environments and learning how to play well on the road is something that we are going to have to get better at, and it is something that we are going to have to do in the playoffs. So this is a good first test for us.”

Maybe that is how McAdoo views it. It seems to be headed in that direction.

[PAPDOG67]

Actually, history doesn't really say otherwise. Most teams when playing in week 17 with no bearing on their playoff seeding will treat it like the 3rd pre-season game. They'll play the offensive guys until they put together a few drives where the HC feels confortable that they have their act together. If the Giants come out and drop 14 on us in the 1st quarter, don't expect to see these guys on the field much longer. If they struggle, they may stay out there until they iron things out. Also, the fans may not want to lose twice to us, but a majority of the players could care less. They would much rather be 100% rolling into week 18. That ESPN article is a joke.

[DEHog]

No way McAdoo wants to put his starters in a situations where they are playing in a 4 quarter all out division brawl. I agree, they will treat is like a preseason game, I believe McAdoo will set a number of downs/drives that certain starters will play. I’m sure any nicked up starters will sit. Think about it, McAdoo would get crushed if someone got hurt, add to that they may have to play a Saturday playoff game next week. Heck if I’m the Giants I’d like to keep Rogers out of the playoffs if possible, instead of drawing him at home in the first round??

[DarthMonk]

Actually, history doesn't really say otherwise. Most teams when playing in week 17 with no bearing on their playoff seeding will treat it like the 3rd pre-season game. They'll play the offensive guys until they put together a few drives where the HC feels confortable that they have their act together. If the Giants come out and drop 14 on us in the 1st quarter, don't expect to see these guys on the field much longer. If they struggle, they may stay out there until they iron things out. Also, the fans may not want to lose twice to us, but a majority of the players could care less. They would much rather be 100% rolling into week 18. That ESPN article is a joke.

New York Giant history says otherwise.

It's a well researched article stuffed with quotes. Doesn't mean it's right but you simply saying it's a joke means little to nothing.

I think barring weird circumstances Eli plays more than a half. I might be wrong but I'm not delusional.

[oj]

Here's the other possibility, we walk the dog on them scoring twice to their 3n'out McAdoo will pull starters and claim he's resting them to save face. That is what I see happening, if the game gets away from them quick they'll fold and claim its on purpose.

[Deadskins]

Most teams when playing in week 17 with no bearing on their playoff seeding will treat it like the 3rd pre-season game.

This is factually incorrect. First, the rosters in the pre-season are stocked with players on the bubble who will be soon cut, so substituting is easy. Week 17 you have 45-man rosters, with only one, or maybe two, replacements at each position. Apples and oranges.

Second, you need only look at the Lions-Pie game last week to see that wasn't the case. You don't want to enter the playoffs on a losing streak. You'll never convince me that players don't care about division rivalries. I do expect certain, high-profile players to sit after playing at least a half, and others who may be nursing an injury to sit, but you won't see 3rd and 4th stringers playing all positions. OBJ will likely play the entire game, as will Victor Cruz. I expect them to pull Sheli after halftime.

[DarthMonk]

Most teams when playing in week 17 with no bearing on their playoff seeding will treat it like the 3rd pre-season game.

This is factually incorrect. First, the rosters in the pre-season are stocked with players on the bubble who will be soon cut, so substituting is easy. Week 17 you have 45-man rosters, with only one, or maybe two, replacements at each position. Apples and oranges.

Second, you need only look at the Lions-Pie game last week to see that wasn't the case. You don't want to enter the playoffs on a losing streak. You'll never convince me that players don't care about division rivalries. I do expect certain, high-profile players to sit after playing at least a half, and others who may be nursing an injury to sit, but you won't see 3rd and 4th stringers playing all positions. OBJ will likely play the entire game, as will Victor Cruz. I expect them to pull Sheli after halftime.

^^^ Many valid points here.

Also what

Here's the other possibility, we walk the dog on them scoring twice to their 3n'out McAdoo will pull starters and claim he's resting them to save face. That is what I see happening, if the game gets away from them quick they'll fold and claim its on purpose.

is not unlikely.

[PAPDOG67]

Most teams when playing in week 17 with no bearing on their playoff seeding will treat it like the 3rd pre-season game.

This is factually incorrect. First, the rosters in the pre-season are stocked with players on the bubble who will be soon cut, so substituting is easy. Week 17 you have 45-man rosters, with only one, or maybe two, replacements at each position. Apples and oranges.

Second, you need only look at the Lions-Pie game last week to see that wasn't the case. You don't want to enter the playoffs on a losing streak. You'll never convince me that players don't care about division rivalries. I do expect certain, high-profile players to sit after playing at least a half, and others who may be nursing an injury to sit, but you won't see 3rd and 4th stringers playing all positions. OBJ will likely play the entire game, as will Victor Cruz. I expect them to pull Sheli after halftime.

I understand there aren't 75 man rosters like you have in the pre-season, but there are backups. OBJ is already quoted in the paper today as saying he doesn't really care about the game, and is already looking forward to next week's playoff game. The Cowboy / Lions game is a totally different scenario last week. You don't shut it down with two weeks to play when you also have a bye week to start. That would essentially be 4 weeks since your last action. Also, they did shut down Elliot in the 4th and gave him only 12 carries. I would say that is not the normal Dallas game plan this season. They left their Ferrari in the garage most of the game.

[Deadskins]

Most teams when playing in week 17 with no bearing on their playoff seeding will treat it like the 3rd pre-season game.

This is factually incorrect. First, the rosters in the pre-season are stocked with players on the bubble who will be soon cut, so substituting is easy. Week 17 you have 45-man rosters, with only one, or maybe two, replacements at each position. Apples and oranges.

Second, you need only look at the Lions-Pie game last week to see that wasn't the case. You don't want to enter the playoffs on a losing streak. You'll never convince me that players don't care about division rivalries. I do expect certain, high-profile players to sit after playing at least a half, and others who may be nursing an injury to sit, but you won't see 3rd and 4th stringers playing all positions. OBJ will likely play the entire game, as will Victor Cruz. I expect them to pull Sheli after halftime.

I understand there aren't 75 man rosters like you have in the pre-season, but there are backups. OBJ is already quoted in the paper today as saying he doesn't really care about the game, and is already looking forward to next week's playoff game. The Cowboy / Lions game is a totally different scenario last week. You don't shut it down with two weeks to play when you also have a bye week to start. That would essentially be 4 weeks since your last action. Also, they did shut down Elliot in the 4th and gave him only 12 carries. I would say that is not the normal Dallas game plan this season. They left their Ferrari in the garage most of the game.

See the highlighted portion of my statement. And if you believe anything out of OBJ's mouth about him not caring about going up against Norman in a divisional game, then make me an offer on the Brooklyn Bridge, 'cause I just put it on the market.

[StorminMormon86]

Only way I see them resting starters is if we pull an early, somewhat substantial lead.

[oj]

As critical as this game is I hope they let Reed sit it out. Every DB & LB on the 'Ginas know his shoulder is hurt bad and they'll be hammering him whenever they can. We need him healthy for the playoffs and we can win this game without his help.

[PAPDOG67]

I believe OBJ when he says its hard not to look past this game. That's a clear indication that he's not ready to go give it 100 %. Now obviously these guys are all professionals so they'll play hard while on the field. They will play hard enough just to not get hurt while they're out there, if that makes any sense, but we will not be getting their A+ effort. That I can assure you.

[SkinsJock]

the HC can rest them but if they're out there, they're trying to make plays

[DarthMonk]

Not trying is a recipe for injury. Any guy on the field will play his ass off.

It'll be about game flow.

If it's 14-14 at the half and Eli and OBJ have not taken any real hits they we be back out there.

If it's 24-3 us and Eli and OBJ have been getting hammered, they'll sit.

[Deadskins]

Macadoo said that Sheli would play. The reporters kept pressing him "for the whole game?" His response was "Sheli will play." Again, "for the whole game?" "Sheli will play."