Transcript: Coach Tom Coughlin:
Are you ready to have to dive into the national attention this upcoming game is going to get and the debate and discussion about how you should play it?
I can imagine that it is coming, but I think the first thing we have to do is think about our team and about obviously the next opponent, the Patriots, and where they are. Then assess exactly where we are coming from and I will do that as we move forward here. I am not ready to even talk about that stuff today.
Will the fact that they are undefeated affect your decision to sit people or not?
I think there are a number of issues. There will be a wealth of questions along each line. Quite frankly, it is not the kind of thing that I enjoy even contemplating. This is the 16th game of the year; it is against a team that is 15-0. The competitive challenge is great no matter what, and I think that is where I would start from. I would start with that as being number one. We are at home, we are playing against a 15-0 team, it is highly, highly competitive, and they are a very good team. We need to play at our very, very best and that is where I would start.
How much are you looking forward to having the confidence of defeating a 15-0 team going into the playoffs if you would do it?
I think that certainly would be a great thing and a wonderful thing. Of course you play every game to win and so all of our thoughts are on that. All of our thoughts are on trying to figure out how we can be in a position to defeat a team that is 15-0 and a very, very good team.
So right now you have not made a decision as to sitting players or playing at full-strength against New England?
That part of it, what I just tried to describe, is that I really don’t like that type of a scenario even to sit and ponder and think about. I would rather think about how it is we can play the game against a very good opponent to have an opportunity to win and normally all the other things that take place will come about with the result of us playing our 16th game as focused as we can. Now that having been said, have I done a lot of thinking the other way? Not at this point in time. I will spend some time thinking about that in conjunction, as I said, with our medical people. Then moving forward we will decide in fact if there is going to be some consideration for that moving forward. I am not going to be quoted on any of that at this point in time. It is kind of a difficult thing for me to even talk about because we want to win every game. We want to win every game and we want our players to be as sharp as they can, but that having been said, I am aware of the fact that all the things you talk about are true. We cannot improve our lot etc. I won’t be really painted into the corner on any of those things. I wish I had a more definitive answer, something that you, I know you want to, express and quote, but I am not going to do that. I probably won’t do that in any specific manner even moving forward. I will have some thoughts on what I want to do, but I want our team to be prepared to go. I want us to focus and I want our team ready to go.
What about the notion that you have earned the right to have a bye this week, so to speak, and rest players for the next game?
Sure, I understand that, too, but I would remind you that there are 45 guys on an active day roster. You can maneuver those 45 as best as you can, but those are the guys that are going to have to play the game no matter how it is set up. Let’s take seven offensive linemen into the game, there are seven guys to play the game, and they have to play.
How much of a factor would be playoff momentum here?
I think that is certainly something that you have to consider as well. We all want that, everybody wants that, and we are all shooting for that. I would say New England would like the same thing or any team that is in would like the same thing.
Haven’t you earned the right by virtue of the win yesterday to do what is right for the team, whether it is rest guys or play guys a quarter?
I don’t think anybody is questioning that. That isn’t even something that I would question. Earned the right is earned the right. We are in the playoffs and our seed doesn’t change and from that standpoint we have to do what is best for our team, but I also want our team to be as sharp as we possibly can be.
Coach TC is going to want to play this game hard... but not at the expense of being one and done again. I bet he atleast makes an attempt to keep up with the Pats.. but at the moment they begin to pull away; everyone is out of there.
At this point what is their to discuss?Your threads are brutal.
At this point what is their to discuss?
