Giants-Pats

[Reality]

Will the Giants give an effort with their starters vs the Patriots and do you care?

If they do not, i do not blame them.  Objective of NFL teams is to attempt to win the SuperBowl.  If Giants resting players gives them a better shot in the playoffs, then they are justified 100% in resting key personell.

Now, if Giants decide to go all out against the PatriFats, I will love it!  While it would be even sweeter to see the Patriots get beat in the playoffs, i will take a blemish on their quest for the unbeaten regular season.

Do you care?

[rickortreat]

It doesn't matter, the Giants aren't good enough to beat the Pats even if they play their starters.  America loves a winner and the Patriots are America's team of the decade. Some people will hate them even more, but their fans will get obnoxious bragging rights with a perfect-record in this season.  I expect they will also go on to win the Super Bowl as well.

The Giants should worry about their game next week.  It's much more important than a meaningless (for them) regular season game. It is a clear advantage to be able to rest your starters and avoid injuries.

[Reality]

It doesn't matter, the Giants aren't good enough to beat the Pats even if they play their starters. 

Balitimore a few weeks ago.
Greasy Pats can call last second scoreboard but Balti certainly was good enough to beat them.  Fluke timeout call away from losing to Balti.  5-11 Baltimore.
Week or two before that Peyton Manning delivered the game winning throw on a platter.  Reciever dropped ball.  Don't get me wrong, Pats can and will call scoreboard, but they are most def beatable.
I'm almost disappointed that the Chargers* will most likely face Indy in Round 2.  Rather see Chargers-Pats rematch of last year.
*yes it's not even a given Norvous and the Bolts will win their Wildcard game but i like them at home.

[Reality]

I think NYork choked / made baffonish adjustments and non adjustments (example BelliCheat keeps zone blitzing on D when Pats were behind 28-23, Coughlin went into "playing not to lose" mode, stopped blitzing when NYork was up 28-16.  From what i saw NYork was successful on 95% of their blitzes).  Also how on earth do you let Moss get that wide open on 3rd and 11 when the previous play you just let him get that open and were bailed out by a Moss drop     
Nonetheless props to Patriots.  Scoreboard 38-35 and 16-0.

Bottom line, Pats O is very very good, esp when opponents are too scared to blitz.  Pats D is most definitely beatable.
Bellichek is outcoaching every opponent.  Incredibly they are helping him immensely.  Or densely.

[rickortreat]

I would say the Pats are vulnerable, but a very good team on balance.  They have a very good offense as good as any in the NFL.  Their defence is also very solid- again one of the top defensive teams in the league.

Add all that up and you have a team that is built to contend for the title.  They go out into the free agent market every year to replenish themselves.  They went and got Randy Moss and Junior Seau for this year along with Adonte Stallworth.

There are teams that can play with the Patriots, but they never back down and never loose their cool.  A team like the Eagles gets ahead of them and they don't even blink.  Brady gets on the field and marches it right down their throats!

They play a full hour of football and they are relentless. That is why they come out on top every week.  Other teams don't play well enough over the whole game to beat them and that's what it takes.

I'd also say the real difference between the Giants and the Pats is the coaches. Coughlin is an idiot, and Belicek knows what he's doing.  If you gave Belicek the Giants they would be favored to win the Supe.  With Coughlin, they'll be lucky to win their wildcard game.

[WayOutWest]

The only Pat games I watched were vs Dallas and the Colts.  The Colts were LUCKY not to lose by more, they were LUCKY to be in the game.  They had EVERTHING going their way and could not cash in and the Pats had an off night and they still WON.  It looked like a boxing match where one guy is bouncing around the ring avoiding contact and a slugger is stalking him just waiting to take his shot.  Then BAM, the slugger connects and it's over.

I wonder who, if anyone, is going to jump on the Pats then stand on their necks for an entire game.  Doesn't look like anyone has a shot other than Dallas.

[rickortreat]

Dallas has no shot.  Phila. dismantled them, and they couldn't beat the Patriots.  Romo just doesn't have it against the good teams.

[Reality]

Jags coach Jack Del Rio will not hand the Pats any gifts.
Gotta get past Pittsburg 1st tho.

WoW while you are correct about Colts blowing their chance, they also dropped yet another perfectly thrown Manning bomb over the top that would have essentially sealed it.  Ditto Baltimore, merely a blown time-out call by their defensive coach from putting Brady down for good.  (the 4th and 1 call where Baltimore stuffed Brady). 
Philly also gave them an incredible gift with Ace Freelys trying to force it upfield in the last couple minutes.

So i do not see the "gap" as being nearly that big.  Any assertation that the Pats "know" they have the game and are just waiting to win late is B.S.  (Not talking about your assess of the Colts-Cowboys game WoW).