To rest or not to rest, that is the question.
Locked into the No. 5 seed in the NFC, the New York Giants have little but rivalry and pride to play for Sunday against the Washington Redskins. In those situations, many teams rest key starters.
It doesn't sound like that's going to be Ben McAdoo's approach in his first season as coach.
To ensure his team is "ascending" into the playoffs, the Giants practiced as normal on Tuesday, and there was no talk of resting players.
"Yes. Everyone is going to play Sunday," running back Rashad Jennings said, via ESPN.com.
McAdoo hasn't told players for certain his plan for Sunday.
The Giants' offense, in particular, can still use work, considering it's been an Odell Beckham Jr.-or-bust operation this season. Big Blue currently ranks 24th in total offense (330.6 yards per game) and 25th in points (19.4).
"You can work on some of the things that obviously have plagued us thus far this season," Justin 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."
Like their division-mates, the Dallas Cowboys, New York views Week 17 as a prep week to keep the competitive juices and continuity flowing into the playoffs rather putting players in bubble wrap for a week of rest.
How much starters might play will be a different question for McAdoo.
The Giants-Redskins game has wide-ranging playoff implications for several teams. If Washington wins, they clinch a playoff spot (so long as Detroit/Green Bay doesn't end in a tie). That would be much easier to accomplish if Big Blue sat a few players Sunday -- especially defensive players. If the Giants win, the Lions and Packers would enter Sunday Night Football knowing they are both in the postseason dance.
