On Wednesday, Giants coach Tom Coughlin indicated the club wasn’t inclined to make any major changes to how it will approach the final three games of 2013 even with the club out of playoff contention.
In short, the Giants’ depth chart doesn’t figure to change much.
“We’re going to try to play as best we can and win with our roster, the roster that we have,” Coughlin told reporters on Wednesday. “If the opportunity is there, then so be it, but that’s not going to be the No. 1 thought on our minds. Our roster is our roster. We’ve been playing a lot of people.
“ . . . Our No. 1 objective: we have a three-game schedule, we want to play as best as we possibly can over the course of these x-amount of weeks. People have established themselves in their positions, rightfully so, fairly so, and I’m not commenting on the degree of where we are with regard to that, I’m just saying those people who are playing have earned the right to play.”
Coughlin is right. The Giants shouldn’t change their approach in these final three games, for they must continue to evaluate the core players who have led them through the first 13 games.
This is particularly true on offense. The Giants’ offensive starters need all the work they can get in the final three weeks. The more plays the Giants can put on tape to be studied in the offseason, the better. Another three games of quarterback Eli Manning working with his receivers in high-pressure game action is a positive for all involved from the Giants’ perspective. After all, Manning has been intercepted 20 times this season.
The defense should stick with the status quo, too. The defense has been the Giants’ rock. The starters should have a chance to finish out the season on a positive note.
Frankly, it’s a shame the season is ending in three weeks for Big Blue. Sixteen games might not be enough to get a read on a team capable of losing its first six games, then winning five of their next seven contests.
In the time that's left in 2013, the Giants will continue to learn about the players already on hand. That evaluation process never stops. Players rise and fall in a team's estimation every day. The Giants need ample data to make the proper personnel decisions in the offseason, for this is clearly a roster that needs some work.
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