Giants at Redskins: McAdoo — “Starters are going to play”

New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo said Wednesday that starters will play Sunday against the Washington Redskins, indicating he will play to win rather than rest his team for the first round of the playoffs.

“The whole … the starters are going to play. I don’t know any other way to do it.,” McAdoo told Washington media.

Asked if that meant starters like Eli Manning, Odell Beckham Jr., Landon Collins, Olivier Vernon and Co. would play the whole game, McAdoo said “The game, yes. The game.”

McAdoo reiterated that stance in remarks to the New York media.

“We're going to play to win the ball game,” he said.

Of course, McAdoo is famously vague with the media and doesn’t like to give out information. So, take that for what it’s worth. As I indicated earlier, I still believe that while starters will play the Giants will likely substitute liberally.

The Redskins (8-6-1) need a victory to have a chance to qualify for the playoffs. Washington coach Jay Gruden professes not to care who plays for the Giants.

“No, it doesn’t matter – not one iota. We have to get ready to play a very good Giant team. Whether their starters play or not is insignificant,” Gruden said. “I know that they have a very good football team and that’s the important thing. Once they get off the plane and they get out here Sunday afternoon, they’re going to play to win. That’s the only way to play football. And I know Coach McAdoo will have them ready to play, and we have to be ready also.”