How confident are you that the Giants will lose the next two games?

[uconnjack8]

If the Eagles are playing for absolutely nothing, which is possible, I don't see how people can have responses like "there is no chance" the Giants win that game.

We have been in this type of a position before in these late season games against the Eagles in recent years, and we have won them despite being a vastly inferior team. The Eagles are also a franchise that have shown themselves to be potentially less than scrupulous in their dealings around the draft. We also know that they love sticking it to the Giants.

If the game means nothing to the Eagles, why would they play any player of any consequence? As bad as we are, if we are trying to win and the Eagles are trotting out third stringers and practice squad types and also know that they're breaking Giants' fans hearts if they lose, do you really think there is "no chance" the Giants win that game?

I don't think anyone in the Eagles organization is remotely thinking about "sticking it to the Giants" by losing. They have the playoffs to think about. Like I said earlier, call into a radio show with an ex GM or coach and see what they say about it. 

 They may opt to rest some guys but will need to dress 46 regardless. 

Given that the Giants are also playing 3rd stringers and practice squad guys, I don't see an advantage to the Giants if the Eagles do sit people.  Further I think getting Barkley the rushing record will be in the calculus.  If that happens in the 1st half, I would expect Gainwell to get a lot of carries in the 2nd half. 

I think the Giants have very little chance against one of the leagues best defenses and Lock, DeVito or Boyle at QB. 

[DaveBrown74]

I don't think anyone in the Eagles organization is remotely thinking about "sticking it to the Giants" by losing. They have the playoffs to think about. Like I said earlier, call into a radio show with an ex GM or coach and see what they say about it. 

 They may opt to rest some guys but will need to dress 46 regardless. 

Given that the Giants are also playing 3rd stringers and practice squad guys, I don't see an advantage to the Giants if the Eagles do sit people.  Further I think getting Barkley the rushing record will be in the calculus.  If that happens in the 1st half, I would expect Gainwell to get a lot of carries in the 2nd half. 

I think the Giants have very little chance against one of the leagues best defenses and Lock, DeVito or Boyle at QB. 

I hope you're right. Obviously I have zero desire for the Giants to win this game. I just think you may be underestimating the degree to which the Eagles will have really weak players in this game. Your statement that they may "rest some guys" seems like an understatement to me.

In any event, we want the same thing. I'm not looking to argue. Let's see what happens. Frankly I'm not going to worry about the Eagles game just yet when we have another game before it.

[katkavage]

I'm worried about tomorrow.

[kartanoman]

Folks, go back and look at the 15 weeks of game film and tell me, with a straight face, the Giants are capable of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. How many games were in their grasp to win that were fumbled or blocked away? How many were close going into the fourth quarter that, when you blinked, you asked what the heck happened with the score now 20+ points in arrears?

When even when it looked like the fourth string QB might lead a comeback, you shook your head and said, "nah, this is just a mirage" and, sure enough, it was!

I have to hand it to my fellow Giants fans, though, in that we love to self-flagellate (NOTE: first thing that comes to mind are the self-flagellating monks in Monty Python and the Holy Grail). When I declared my loyalty to Collingwood of the Australian Football League many moons ago, and learned their fanbase mimics our own for very much the same reason, I just knew their aura drew me to them. It's amazing but, if there's an irony, when their moon and stars aligned in 2023 for their first AFL Premiership in 13 years, their defense, the following season played out in many ways like several of the Giants' title defenses (e.g. 2011, 1990 and, to a lesser extent, 1986).

Self-flagellation, in hopes of earning our team a plenary indulgence to reduce the time between championships is a logical and thoughtful action. But to do so, in order to finish at the bottom of the league, and guarantee the #1 overall pick, and to throw additional psychological concern your archenemy has nothing in their game plan but to derail your team of that outcome, is a little bit sadistic, in my humble opinion. Take a step or two back, take a deep breath, and try to look at it objectively. It's downright crazy!

If I am jockeying for position in the playoff race, and I'm the Iggles, I:

1. am winning the rest of my games by as much as I can (Logic: if a tie breaker pops up where score differential comes into play, I'm winning that tie breaker!)

2. am keeping close watch on the NFC North this weekend and next and hope one, or both of them, trip up and I draw equal with them with total # of wins (NOTE: we can examine tie breaking formulas to determine whom I'm pulling for in their week #17 Division Title battle)

3. am going to do all I can to establish a positive momentum going into the playoffs

If I want to SERIOUSLY challenge for a spot in the NFC Championship Game, not even mentioning the Super Bowl at this point, I am most certainly NOT f@cking around with the piddly @$$ Giants and take my focus off my season objective. To d!ck around with the Giants, in my opinion, and the Iggles experience an early playoff exit, will surely see Siriani get canned. It would be beyond stupid to take your focus off the prize this late in the season. Siriani remembers what happened last season and he can ill afford to have that happen to him again. Think about it!

Peace!

[Bob In PA]

If the Eagles are playing for absolutely nothing, which is possible, I don't see how people can have responses like "there is no chance" the Giants win that game.

We have been in this type of a position before

Yeah, but we haven't been THIS bad at any other time this century. Bob

[DaveBrown74]

Yeah, but we haven't been THIS bad at any other time this century. Bob

Why are we only a 7.5 point underdog against a team that has everything to play for tomorrow if we have "no chance" against a team that is likely to be playing for nothing and is all but certain (assuming they're playing for nothing) to rest all their starters and put in complete scrubs.

Put another way, is it your view that an Eagles team with zero to play for, playing only 2s and 3s, is better than a motivated 7-8 Colts team trying to make the playoffs?

[babywhales]

I think these Giants can screw anything up

That includes losing 

[kartanoman]

Why are we only a 7.5 point underdog against a team that has everything to play for tomorrow if we have "no chance" against a team that is likely to be playing for nothing and is all but certain (assuming they're playing for nothing) to rest all their starters and put in complete scrubs.

Put another way, is it your view that an Eagles team with zero to play for, playing only 2s and 3s, is better than a motivated 7-8 Colts team trying to make the playoffs?

Maybe they're in the Christmas spirit and being "joyful and cheerful" to the Giants?

 

Peace!

[Bob In PA]

Why are we only a 7.5 point underdog against a team that has everything to play for tomorrow if we have "no chance" against a team that is likely to be playing for nothing and is all but certain (assuming they're playing for nothing) to rest all their starters and put in complete scrubs.

Put another way, is it your view that an Eagles team with zero to play for, playing only 2s and 3s, is better than a motivated 7-8 Colts team trying to make the playoffs?

DB: The Colts theoretically should be better-motivated, but a lot can change for the Eagles today.

Nevertheless, as of right now, the Eagles are completely irrelevant to our chances of winning today.

IMO, we are "only" a 7.5 point underdog because we haven't won a home game all year and this is our final chance. That is the one and only reason I worry that we might blow it and find a way to beat Indy.

Bob

[DaveBrown74]

DB: The Colts theoretically should be better-motivated, but a lot can change for the Eagles today.

Nevertheless, as of right now, the Eagles are completely irrelevant to our chances of winning today.

IMO, we are "only" a 7.5 point underdog because we haven't won a home game all year and this is our final chance. That is the one and only reason I worry that we might blow it and find a way to beat Indy.

Bob

Bob,

So you think we have a shot of beating a highly motivated Indy team that has everything to play for, but no shot of beating an Eagles team in week 18 that has nothing to play for and will be resting all their starters?

Can't say I am in agreement with that line of reasoning.

My base case is we lose both games, but if the Eagles have zero to play for I think we have a better chance of winning that game than we do today.

[Bob In PA]

Bob,

So you think we have a shot of beating a highly motivated Indy team that has everything to play for, but no shot of beating an Eagles team in week 18 that has nothing to play for and will be resting all their starters?

Can't say I am in agreement with that line of reasoning.

My base case is we lose both games, but if the Eagles have zero to play for I think we have a better chance of winning that game than we do today.

DB: I must have mis-typed something that let you to believe I think we can win either game. Let me know if you find a typo. Bob

[Messiah717]

Barkley is 268 yards away from the all time record.  If he goes off today then that record is firmly within reach.  You don't want unnecessary injury but I'd imagine they let him for go for it against the Giants.

[DaveBrown74]

DB: I must have mis-typed something that let you to believe I think we can win either game. Let me know if you find a typo. Bob

Bob,

I was observing this quote of yours:

"IMO, we are "only" a 7.5 point underdog because we haven't won a home game all year and this is our final chance. That is the one and only reason I worry that we might blow it and find a way to beat Indy."

[Bob In PA]

Bob,

I was observing this quote of yours:

"IMO, we are "only" a 7.5 point underdog because we haven't won a home game all year and this is our final chance. That is the one and only reason I worry that we might blow it and find a way to beat Indy."

DB: That was meant to express a very very small likelihood of occurring, but I see how I might have given the wrong impression. I believe their chances of winning today about about 1 in 100. Bob

[DaveBrown74]

DB: That was meant to express a very very small likelihood of occurring, but I see how I might have given the wrong impression. I believe their chances of winning today about about 1 in 100. Bob

Bob,

Fair enough and understood.

Thanks for clarifying.

Jeff