One thing to note here, I read many columnists (not Mark) writing about the boost it would be to the Giants if they were to beat or compete well against the Pats. What if the Giants go all out against the Pats and lose 48 - 6. Could a team whose psyche always seems on the verge of being crushed recover in a week from that? I think Eli plays 2 series and the defensive starters most of the first half. After that they sit. Pats win 38-10.

Please don't hurt us! Break all the records but not our fragile NY bones!

In an innovative move, Giants use Navajo codetalkers to call in defensive signals. Unable to cheat, Pats loose 27-10.

Headline: How Will Giants Approach Patriots Game?

Answer: With fear and trepidation?

They probably couldn't beat them if they went all out. Why risk injury? If the AFC East division rivals and the cream of the NFL failed, why place a moral burden on the Giants?

Pats Fan is correct. Eli has too fragile a psyche to play significant minutes and lose. The risk is too high for the team to have a QB play poorly going into the playoffs, when there is no benefit to his playing.

The Giants are in the same boat as the Cowboys or Packers. There is no result in this week's game that can change their seeding. I'd rest everyone I could if I were Coughlin, because this could be their bye week.

The Giants play to win. The NFL, not for long, subs could be taking the place of starters. Eli better play, if he can't beat the Patriots - why play to go to the super bowl for possibly another meeting. I hope the giants defense can come up with a pressuring scheme and sack Brady more than normal. I still think the patriots know the defense before the play. Belichick has something going on. Its no way that oline is that good without some presnap help.

You realize that the Giants do things well that have been Pats weaknesses: run and rush the passer. Past 4 teams to play the Pats have averaged more than 4 yards per carry, and the Giants have the most sacks in NFL. Coughlin should take the ball out of Eli's hands, throwing only as a change of pace. This could be a good game even w/o Burress.

As long as Kevin Gilbride directs the offense, the Giants are going to be also-rans. The guy has never met a dud play he doesn't repeat twenty times a game, as exemplified in the Redskins game. Jacobs ran the right side for about 11 yards on one play, and ran the left side about eight times for perhaps a total of 11 yards in the early part of the game. Duh. The announcer said it seemed the Giants were determined to run left. What kind of moron keeps dipping into a dry well?

I agree with Rando.."there is no way the Pats o-line is that good without pre-snap help" Only I dont think its any type of Belicheating, I am convinced they are on major, big-time performance enhancement. Its not like they are the "Hogs", for goodness' sake! I especially dont believe that Rodney the human growth hormone is suddenly "clean" or that Junior Seau, Tedi Bruschi et al arent on the juice.

This is the NFL and the Giants are losers if they lay down on the Patriots. Why go to the payoffs if you don't want to face the best.

Ok... let the stupid patriots set the record!!! The giants shouldn't care!!! There were 15 other games in which OTHER teams could've beaten them. It shouldn't be on the giants' shoulders. Go to Tampa Bay healthy and WIN that game.

These cheating comments and steroid comments are from idiots. There are more also rans taking steroids than big name people - look at the baseball list. The Pats front line has been protecting Brady well for years. The cheat comments are just ignorant. Try this: the Dolphins lost a 1st round draft choice for tampering in the hiring of Shula - so if you are going to hang a cheat sign on the Pats, don't forget the 72 Dolphins. And by the way - they broke a rule no different than all the other football rules. Try screaming cheat every time the Redskins hold on offense because their offense stinks.

With nothing to be gained except the pleasure of preventing the Pats from a record, the Giants should give an opportunity to those who are less-than-crucial to the team to gain more experience. To do otherwise would be sheer folly.

How sad is it that we have a team here making huge sacrifices salary wise to do something no other team has done and morons throw out the cheating card. Please.

Win or lose against the Patriots.....the Giants are done....absolutely no chance against the Bucs....just a bunch of a losers just like their fans

Giants 10 and 5, soon to be 10 and 6, soon to be out watching TV....Giant fans ...start crying now

Oh.....there is always next year....and the next.... and the next...and the next

Giants: 24
Patriots: 17

Don't say I didn't warn youse.

I would have said at first the Giants would rest many starters, but the news that both CBS and NBC will be carrying the simulcast of the game makes me wonder now.

With all that national attention, maybe Coughlin - and the players too - will feel compelled to try and knock NE off.

Obviously I don't like the Giants, but I would LOVE to see them beat the Pats.

how bout passin the pipe rando...it's obviously some pretty good stuff if you were serious when writing message 3:05 PM

Patriots 27 - Packers - 17 = 19 - 0

Oh yeah, Tampa Bay is awesome and scarry. Won the division over the Falcons, Panthers, Saints.

Oh well, now that all of America will be watching...the Giants will have to keep their starters in as long as the Patriots have their starters playing.

The Giants can no longer afford to rest their key players for the playoffs.

Should have been that way all along.

If I were a Giant player, I would want to compete against the best... and they have the best in the Pats. Thank you NFL.

The Giants stand an excellent chance in beating the highly over-rated Patriots (who should've lost to the Colts but won by a fluke, i.e. injuries). Eli has been consistently inconsistent in his QB efforts, but this might very well be the catalyst he needs to ignite his engines going into the playoffs.

Pats are not the greatest team to ever play and I'll tell you right now- they will not be winning the Super Bowl. Looks like their secret sauce has been revealed, and it will be exploited throughout their playoff run. Prepare yourself for disappointment Pats fans.

i have been an nfl/patriots fan for 22 yrs now , im from the uk , and i have never seen such a good team than the pats but do you lot overseas not understand that all the hype and critisism will only fuel the fire for the best "team" i have ever witnised .it is not brady or moss who want records it is the team that want to win and the team that will win and in the off week they will prepare to put all that is wrong right.and i also believe the reality is kicking in to the nation that the cowboys and packers who everyone was hoping to kick the pats into touch are not as good as people thought. yes the jags look good , but at boston, the weather and they looked good up to the playoffs when we last played them then they got found out. indy also look good but manning had his time last year against the so so pats offence, 16-0 bring it on and go all the way it is our teams destiny .

Well, I gave up on the Pats when they refused to hand off to Faulk in the last minutes of AFC championship game, virtually giving away the super bowl title to the Colts.

So if they lose Saturday or 2nd round of the playoffs or super bowl, then I don't care. But I really don't like the Colts, so if Brady could just connect for two TDs against the Giants...

I love how everyone is saying the Colts lost because of injuries...

For the first four games the Patriots were without Rodney Harrison, and the first 7 or so without Richard Seymour (who, btw, still isn't 100%)

Peyton manning doesn't have Marvin harrison?!!? He still has two great tight ends and Reggie Wayne...

Tom Brady won 3 Superbowls with Troy Brown as his best reciever (Deion Branch also) both of which are NOWHERE near Marvin harrison and Reggie Wayne.

The Colts play over half their games in a DOME...where no weather affects them...

Injuries...please..give me a break. Colts fans are little girls if they think losing Harrison RUINS the offense...that's why Tom Brady is better..

Imagine if he had Moss his entire career, and if he played in a Dome...on Turf...wow...

I believe this is history in the making. This team has shown great poise and tremendous mindsets in the midsts of adversity. This team are not cheaters. The team execute the plays that the coach gives them. No different from what every other team does. So don't fault the TEAM for what the Coach has done. They deserve the records and everything they have in reach because people have downgraded and questioned the talent of this team. The team is very talented. Just let it go, sit back and watch a potentially very historic game.

I can't understand why the Giants would even think about playing their starters for more than 1 quarter on Saturday. This is a team that so unhealthy, they're one more key injury away from having no chance in the postseason. If they somehow beat NE and then lose again in the first round of the playoffs, it's not going to mean a thing. The Giants owe NOTHING to the rest of the league. They owe it to their fans to rest and focus on one team - Tampa Bay.

I would like to see the Pats win and for Brady to break the record for touchdown passes in a season.I guess its because of the snotty attitudes of the Mannings, including their father Archie. They have such a "holier than thou art" and "we're something special" attitude in their every day life, I would like to see them brought down to the level where they belong.

this one guy just said that the giants have no chance against the bucks. the bucks have a worse record than the giants and an easier division. the nfc east is likely to send 3 teams to the playoffs now for the 2nd year in a row.

the bucks suck and will definately lose to the giants no matter what happens in the pats game.

yeah anyways all I got to say is i hope that new england goes perfect and tom brady beats peyton's touchdown passing record.. that will be all good and dandy..but what will that mean if they dont win a superbowl?

everyone around the league knows that its a very real possiblity that new england may not win the superbowl. Indianapolis is going to be tough and i mean tough..rested and healthy and manning is on a rowl right now..even the jags are going to be a huge challenge.

all im saying is the pats wont be in the same league the 72 dolphins are if they dont win the superbowl..

my predictions.,

afc championship game = Indianapolis 28 New England 20

i hate all of you patriots fans. i think tom brady, randy moss, bill bellichick and all them other losers suck. they cheat, and theres nobby attitudes need to take a break. THE CHEATED AGAINST THE JETS!!! thats pretty low. they suck suck suck! there losers and they need to get a grip. you never know, they could have been cheating all year long so... they suck. and i hope giants win and patriots lose, i hope patriots lose the first game in the playoffs, patriots need to get a grip and stop wearing makeup. there loosers!