POLL: Should Giants play to win, or rest starters vs. Philadelphia Eagles?

What should New York Giants coach Brian Daboll do next Sunday?

The regular season isn’t over, though, although Week 18 seems anti-climactic after Sunday’s convincing playoff-clinching victory. But an interesting situation has developed. Weeks ago it was thought that the New York Giants might catch a break in their final game if they needed a win since the Philadelphia Eagles, with nothing to play for after locking up the division title and No. 1 seed, rested their starters. Then the Giants locked up the No. 6 seed and made that game inconsequential to them, while the Eagles slumped with Gardner Minshew replacing the injured Jalen Hurts. Suddenly the No. 1 seed is not guaranteed, and the Eagles must win this game or risk being overtaken by the Dallas Cowboys for the NFC East Division title.

The Giants should just be grateful to be in the playoffs, right? Their goal was never to win a Super Bowl this year, it was just to develop and become respectable. They would probably draw the No. 3 seed San Francisco 49ers in the first round and be one and done and everyone would still go home happy. But Minnesota’s loss to Green Bay yesterday has for now dropped them to the No. 3 seed instead. The Giants went toe-to-toe with the Vikings a little over a week ago and might have won were it not for an immutable law of nature that says that opposing kickers will always make 60+ yard field goals when needed to defeat the Giants.

So what should the Giants do next Sunday? Rest their starters, avoid injuries, and have them fresh for a possible Vikings rematch? That would seem to be the prudent course of action. Or take their cue from the now-legendary decision by Tom Coughlin to have the 2007 Giants play their starters against undefeated New England in the final regular season game? That stirring game impressed John Madden and gave the Giants players confidence that they could hang with the Patriots.

Brian Daboll doesn’t sound like a coach who is just satisfied to be in the playoffs. He apparently wants more:

Daboll was non-committal in Monday’s press conference about what he would do on Sunday. It sure was on the minds of our friends at Bleeding Green Nation, who had a whole story just about that question. (Is it me, or is the room getting a little warm?)

What would you do if you were Brian Daboll?